 |
 |
|
|
|
| |
March of Dimes Selects Oklahoma Child as 2003 National Ambassador
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Doctors gave Emma Henderson of Oklahoma City a one-in-ten chance of survival when she was born three months premature, weighing just 1 pound 12 ounces. Today, the seven-year-old was named 2003 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes.
In the coming year, she will travel throughout the nation along with her parents, Susan and Jeff, to raise public awareness of the March of Dimes mission to prevent birth defects and reduce the major causes of infant death with a special focus on prematurity. According to the most recent statistics, 467,000 babies are born too soon in the United States annually (one out of every eight).
“Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death, and many of the babies who do survive face serious long-term consequences,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “Fortunately, Emma has already overcome tremendous odds, but she and her family still cope every day with the residual effects of her premature birth.”
Prior to Emma’s birth, Susan Henderson became an active volunteer for the March of Dimes and was elected to serve on the Oklahoma March of Dimes Board of Directors in 1994. She could never have known how personally she would be affected by the work she was already doing.
Without warning, at just under six months into her pregnancy, Susan went into preterm labor. She spent the next ten days at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, lying upside down with her head suspended thirty degrees below her waist trying to delay Emma’s premature birth and increase her chances of survival.
At the end of those ten days, Emma was born on September 6, 1995, measuring a mere 13 inches long. She was immediately transferred to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where she remained for the next 101 days as her parents watched and waited.
Emma underwent five neurosurgeries by the age of one. Doctors warned her parents repeatedly that Emma’s brain might never form or grow into a healthy infant brain. They told them she was at extreme risk for blindness and deafness, and even told them at one point that she would most likely have to live her entire life in a healthcare institution.
Before leaving the NICU, laser surgery was performed on both eyes to save her eyesight. Today, Emma lives with a permanent shunt in her brain, which drains fluid from her brain into her abdominal cavity, where it can be reabsorbed. She has a diagnosis of mild cerebral palsy. In spring 2001, Emma underwent a heel cord extension surgery to correct toe walking that is common among children with cerebral palsy.
“While Emma’s story is certainly a happy one, the health risks associated with being born premature don’t disappear when the child comes home from the hospital,” says Susan Henderson. “We worry nearly every day about Emma’s development and continued good health.”
The Hendersons credit the March of Dimes with helping to save Emma’s life, and they are eager to begin their service as the 2003 National Ambassador Family.
“Emma’s life is full of heroes,” says her father, Jeff. “Thanks to March of Dimes-funded research and the specialized care she was able to receive at birth, she enjoys a happy, normal life. We can’t say thanks enough for that, and we look forward to sharing our story with people all across this nation.”
Medical Overview
Emma survived several complications of prematurity whose treatments were developed in part by March of Dimes-supported researchers.
Emma was given surfactant to treat respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) because her lungs were severely underdeveloped. Surfactant is a substance the body produces to help re-inflate the lungs after each breath; premature babies are often not yet able to produce it in sufficient quantity. Treatment by giving artificial surfactant through the windpipe was developed in part with the help of the March of Dimes.
Emma was diagnosed with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs, and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a heart disorder. She could be treated with drugs instead of surgery, thanks to research funded by the March of Dimes.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) – Emma was diagnosed with BPD as a consequence of RDS and/or its necessary treatments; the March of Dimes has funded recent research into its causes and how it might be prevented.
March of Dimes Focuses on Prematurity
The March of Dimes has invested more than $8 million in its Perinatal Epidemiology Research Initiative (PERI) to look broadly at biological and environmental factors that may contribute to preterm birth, as a basis for developing new forms of prevention.
"No one knows what causes premature birth," said Dr. Nancy Green, medical director of the March of Dimes. "The March of Dimes is working to learn more about the major risk factors and to educate the public that good preconception and prenatal care may improve a woman's chances of having a healthy, full-term baby."
While the causes of premature birth are not known, studies suggest that certain factors increase a woman’s chance of delivering a preterm baby:
- Previous preterm birth
- Expecting twins or other multiples
- Uterine or cervical abnormalities
- Obstetric complications (such as placental problems)
- Smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illicit drugs
- Age under 18 or over 35
- Maternal or fetal stress
National Ambassador Program
Throughout the year, the National Ambassador and a parent travel across the country, sharing their story with millions of women and men. They will attend events and conferences, speak to volunteers, participate in media interviews in addition to appearing with corporate leaders, celebrities and the President of the United States in an effort to raise awareness of the March of Dimes mission.
Megan Mullally, Emmy Award winning actress for her role on the hit NBC comedy Will & Grace, will serve as the celebrity spokesperson for the 2003 National Ambassador Program.
American Airlines is the official airline of the March of Dimes 2003 National Ambassador Program.
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 Web site or its Spanish Web site. For more information on the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica, visit the WalkAmerica Web site.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
