COMMUNITY SERVICES

Community Grants

In 2009, the March of Dimes South Carolina Chapter awarded more than $535,000 in community grants across the state to address unmet maternal and child health needs. These programs strive to increase access to healthcare for pregnant women, reduce infant mortality, increase healthy birth outcomes, and education professionals and the public on what it must be done to have healthier babies in our state.

NICU Family Support

March of Dimes NICU Family Support was created to remove barriers so parents feel more familiar with the neonatal intensive care unit, be closer to their newborn, and empower them to actively participate in their babies care. There is a NICU Family Support program in each state and ours in housed at Greenville Hospital System. Each year NICU Family Support distributes parent care kits with helpful information and provides support services to over 650 families, in addition to providing educational services to NICU staff.

EDUCATION

March of Dimes works hard to educate both the public and healthcare professionals about the importance of prematurity prevention and birth defects prevention. We work with the South Carolina Perinatal Association and other statewide associations and coalitions to help educate physicians and nurses on the best practices surrounding perinatal care. Each month during November, hosting Prematurity Awareness Month activities to educate the public on the growing problem of premature birth.

ADVOCACY

The March of Dimes is committed to maintaining an active, well-respected non-partisan presence in the political arena. In years past, the March of Dimes has had several successes at the State House including changing policy to increase the required newborn health screenings offered in South Carolina hospitals, assisting with advocacy that led to a growing number of smoke-free ordinances (which reduces the smoke exposure for pregnant women and children), and helping to secure over $800,000 in stable funding for implementation of a state-wide Birth Defects Program to be housed at DHEC.

NATIONAL RESEARCH GRANTS

Over $39 million is invested annually by the March of Dimes to support research aimed at preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant death. The South Carolina Chapter not only contributes to the national grants, but also earmarked an additional funding to sponsor research scientists working to improve the health of babies. Sponsored national research grants included Dr. Stuart Adler at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Usha Ramakrishnan at Emory University, Dr. Laura Goetzl at the Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Tain-Yen Hsia at the Medical University of South Carolina and Dr. Xuejun Wen at Clemson University. These research grants totaled over $700,000 in 2009 in South Carolina alone.