Chicago –Energized by their common mission to save babies, over 500 walkers made their way to Fox Valley's Pottawatomie Park early Sunday morning, April 24th for the 35th annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica. Thousands of others also laced up their walking shoes this weekend at five suburban WalkAmerica locations in Chicago, Naperville, Highland Park, Schaumburg, and Tinley Park.
At the Fox Valley walk site, enthusiastic participants raised $119,000, contributing to the $2 million raised throughout the Chicagoland area. All money raised supports the March of Dimes campaign to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The Griffith Family, of Geneva, proudly led the way, acting as this year's Fox Valley Ambassador Family. The Griffiths support the March of Dimes' mission, especially since their twin girls, Alyssa and Alexa born at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, and son Parker born at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, were born prematurely.
WalkAmerica is a national event that is the March of Dimes leading source of revenue. It has raised more than $1 billion for healthy babies since it began in 1970. This year's WalkAmerica will help support research and education for the National Prematurity Campaign. Each year more than 480,000 babies are born premature and prematurity is the leading cause of death in the first month of life. Ninety-two cents of every dollar raised in Illinois goes into research as well as education, advocacy and community service programs to help all babies have a healthy start in life. The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth.
WalkAmerica is sponsored locally by Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Community Hospital, Farmers Insurance, Kane County Health Department and Rush Copley Medical Center. Chicago division sponsors include Absopure, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Careerbuilder.com, Citibank, LaSalle Bank Corporation, Marsh/Mercer, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, TCF Bank, and NBC5. National Sponsors include CIGNA, Kmart, Discovery Health Channel, FedEx, Prevention Magazine, Farmers Insurance, Mead Johnson, and Famous Footwear
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