| Pratt, KS—Holly Carlene Brown and her parents haven’t been part of a TV show, but they have survived a real-life drama when Holly was born at 32 weeks gestation, 8 weeks early, weighing only 3 pound 7 ounces. As ambassadors, the Brown family will share Holly’s story so that volunteers and sponsors will understand how participating in WalkAmerica helps the March of Dimes fight premature birth and its lifelong consequences.
“Holly Carlene Brown , was born November 22, 2002, at 32 weeks gestation weighing only 3 pound 7 ounces. She spent 27 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit hooked up to respirators and IV’s. I delivered at PRMC and Holly was rushed to Wichita’s Via Christie St. Joseph Campus to their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Once I was released from the hospital and got to Wichita, I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to see. My little girl was hooked up to machines and had wires and tubes hooked up to her. We were very lucky, there were no major health problems, Holly was just little and needed time to grow and develop. Holly was sent home December 19th with an apnea monitor to keep an eye on Holly’s breathing. Holly is 16 months now and is like other kids her age. She had a very rough start, but she is a tough girl and can handle just about anything that comes her way,” said Ashia Brown, Holly’s Mother.
One in eight babies is born prematurely in the U.S. today, many times for unknown reasons. To help find the answers, the Brown family have become volunteers for the March of Dimes, because they feel it very important that they share Holly’s story. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death. Many babies that do survive suffer lifelong consequences including chronic health conditions and developmental disabilities.
Holly’s Mother, Ashia is inviting Pratt citizens to join her in WalkAmerica on Friday, April 23rd in Lemon Park to help the March of Dimes find the answers to why premature birth happens and how it can be stopped. Ashia says, “The answers can’t come soon enough.” For more information call your local March of Dimes office at 785.825.7476.
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 five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at www.nacersano.org.
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