Preconception Care:
Early Interventions, Healthy Outcomes
November 12th is the Prematurity Summit in Southfield, Michigan

 (Southfield, MI) November 1, 2007 – Every parent wants a healthy baby.  But it doesn’t always happen that way.  Each year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely in our country.  Some of them die.  Premature birth is responsible for more than 10,000 of the nearly 28,000 infant deaths each year.  Babies who survive may face lives of severe disability like blindness, mental retardation and cerebral palsy.  Premature birth takes a terrible toll on babies and families in your own community and across the nation.  Yet surveys show that the public doesn’t even know it’s a problem.
 November 13th has been designated Prematurity Awareness Day by the March of Dimes.  In order to educate our legislators, community leaders and the general public on the health issues of premature birth and to show the impact it has on our future, the Michigan chapter of the March of Dimes is holding a Prematurity Summit on Monday, November 12, 2007 in Southfield at the Providence Professional Building.  The Providence Professional Building is located at 22250 Providence Drive, in Southfield, MI 48075.  The summit will be held on the eighth floor from 10 a.m. to 3p.m.
 During the Summit, State Legislators, March of Dimes volunteers and health professionals will address attendees on key messages regarding state funding for prematurity issues.  The purpose of the Prematurity Summit & Lobby Day is to inform the community at large about the issues surrounding prematurity and methods used to reduce the occurrence.  This year, the chapter has expanded the intended audience to reach three targeted communities; community & business leaders, health professionals and advocacy.
Schedule:
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Registration
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM:  Opening General Session facilitated by Art Edwards (Reporter WDIV Channel 4)
11:30 AM – 11:435 AM:  Break
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM:     Lunch
1:00 PM    - 2:00 PM:  Break-out Sessions – Advocacy, Community & Business Leaders, and Health Professionals
2:00 PM   - 2:15 PM:   Break
2:15 PM   - 3:00:  Closing Session and Call to Actions facilitated by Dr. Frank McGeorge(health reporter WDIV)
  We ask attendees to Please RSVP to Norma Evans at 248-359-1573 by November 6, 2007

Babies born too small and too soon put a heavy financial burden on families and exact a tremendous emotional toll. Hospital charges for infants with a principal diagnosis of prematurity average $77,000 verses a normal birth cost of $1,700.  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.
     The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth 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. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.
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