WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., APRIL 20, 2000 -- Attracting more than 600,000 walkers, the nation's oldest and finest annual fund-raising walking event -- the March of Dimes WalkAmerica -- takes place for the 30th year on April 29 and April 30 in about 1,400 participating communities throughout the 50 states and Puerto Rico. The March of Dimes says it expects to raise over $85 million dollars with the event.
WalkAmerica has raised more than $1 billion since 1970 to benefit the health of infants and children. Founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to eradicate polio, the March of Dimes today supports research, education and community programs to improve the health of America's babies. As the March of Dimes' single largest fund-raising event, WalkAmerica has been instrumental in supporting such breakthroughs as:
- Development of vaccines to protect against epidemic polio.
- Initiation of special intensive care nurseries in hospitals to care for sick newborns.
- Research leading to the first successful fetal surgery to correct birth defects.
- Development of fetal ultrasound testing to diagnose heart defects in unborn babies.
"We're immensely proud of the successes achieved by the March of Dimes in improving infant health, but our struggle to save babies continues," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "More than 150,000 babies are born with serious birth defects each year. Some of these defects are as easily preventable as taking a multivitamin daily. That's why this year we're specifically concentrating on making more women aware of how important the B vitamin folic acid is in helping to prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine."
Some 20,000 teams will participate in WalkAmerica nationwide, drawn from corporations, unions, schools, clubs and other organizations. Many Walks will be led by celebrities, including 2000 Honorary WalkAmerica Chair Kathy Ireland, along with Howie Mandel, Jerry Rice, Kathy Smith, and Joe Namath.
The March of Dimes WalkAmerica national sponsors, CIGNA HealthCare, Canon U.S.A.,Inc., the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), and Kmart Corporation, are leading the way to healthier babies. In its eighth year as national retail sponsor, Kmart Corporation is the top national WalkAmerica team, a distinction held for more than 14 years. CIGNA HealthCare, a leading provider of maternal and infant health care programs, returns for its sixth consecutive year as national health care sponsor and is the number two national WalkAmerica team. FDOC joins the March of Dimes for its third year in helping to educate people about how the B vitamin folic acid in orange juice can help reduce the risk of certain birth defects. Canon U.S.A., Inc. an industry leader in professional and consumer imaging solutions, joins WalkAmerica in 2000 as a national sponsor for the first time. Canon also is the presenting sponsor of the March of Dimes Resource Center.
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. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Home Page on the Word Wide Web at www.marchofdimes.com.
