WLTX News 19 evening anchor Darci Strickland has been involved with the March of Dimes for about five years—even before having her own children. Says Darci, “When I learned about the March of Dimes mission of improving the health of babies, it immediately appealed to my heart.”

Ironically, in 2005 Darci faced the issue of premature birth in her own family when her daughter Logan was born almost eight weeks early.  Though the shock of an early birth worried Darci at first, Logan was born weighing a little over five pounds without any complications, so she did not require an extended hospital stay. The birth of her twins, Layla and Lauren, in April of 2007, however, was not as easy. 

“Layla and Lauren were born weighing less than four pounds each, so they had to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for two weeks,” explains Darci.  “Having to go home with out my babies was very difficult but the nurses and doctors at Palmetto Health Baptist are extremely dedicated and they were a true source of comfort to our family.”
 

Today Darci’s girls are healthy and active, and Darci knows they are among the fortunate ones. “Many premature babies spend weeks or months in a NICU and have struggles that continue for the rest of their lives. The March of Dimes has been instrumental in funding medical breakthroughs to help treat these tiny babies, but they also want to find more ways to make sure babies are born full term—and don’t have to face the consequences of premature birth.”

Darci is serving as the March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness Month ambassador this November. She will share emcee the African American Achievement Award breakfast on National Prematurity Awareness Day, November 13.  She will also emcee the Signature Chefs Auction on December 2. Both events are held at the Columbia Marriott Hotel.

“The March of Dimes has always been an important cause for me, but since having my three daughters, my heart is really in this organization,” Darci says. “Families everywhere want healthy babies—that’s why the work of the March of Dimes is so important!”