Joshua Hoffman of Weston, Fla., was born so early and with so many underdeveloped organs that doctors could not say whether he would survive — or if he would ever walk, talk, see or hear. Today, the 6-year-old is the March of Dimes 2010 National Ambassador.
Joshua’s mom, Melanie Hoffman, recalls, “My first minutes of motherhood and I was completely devastated. My husband, Lee, and I couldn’t be more terrified, and I was positive that after just 24 hours I had no more tears left.” Joshua was born more than 4 months too soon, weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces.
The Hoffman family credits the research and treatments funded by the March of Dimes with helping Joshua overcome his premature birth. He spent 3˝ months in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla., and had many surgeries and treatments, including heart surgery, laser eye surgery and blood transfusions.
Today, Joshua has a visual impairment with blindness in his right eye and a low field of vision. But that hasn’t stopped him from doing what he loves most - reading, building things, swimming, and giving speeches at March of Dimes events. His father, Lee, says, “Our hearts still skip a beat every time we see Joshua smile, hear him talk and laugh and feel his strong hugs and soft kisses.”
As 2010 National Ambassador, Joshua and his family will travel the country throughout the year to share his inspiring story and encourage families and companies to join them in making sure all babies get a healthy start in life by participating in March for Babies® and other special events”.
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