Shop, Save And Help Babies

Are you getting ready to shop, save and give back?  

Visit your local Macy’s store starting today to purchase a $5 savings pass to use on August 25^th, Macy’s annual Shop For A Cause event benefiting the March of Dimes, the exclusive in-store beneficiary.   Best of all?  You can use your pass immediately!  Macy’s will hold your merchandise, and all you have to do is go back to the store on August 25^th and pick it up.  Join our event and spread the word so your friends and family can get in on the savings, too! http://bit.ly/QhMbYI

Tweeting about Macy’s Shop For A Cause on August 25th? Be sure to use the following language and hash tag so we can push readers to our Facebook event (http://on.fb.me/QxZs0b), which now has over 11,000 invites. Starting today you can buy a $5 pass & get extra 25% off at Macy's on 8/25 benefiting MOD. :0)  #shopforacause   http://on.fb.me/QxZs0b

Dear Friend, In time for back-to-school shopping, Macy's is offering the best deal of the year: 25% off. Get a $5 shopping pass at your local Macy's starting today, and enjoy storewide savings all day long on August 25. That's 25% off on the 25th on all regular, sale and clearance items*! The best part? You'll be helping babies. The March of Dimes is the exclusive national in-store beneficiary of Macy's Shop For A Cause. 100% of every shopping pass purchased goes to support research and programs that help moms have healthy pregnancies and babies start healthy lives. This offer is good for one day only. Don't miss out, get your shopping pass in store today, or visit macys.com on the 25th and add a $5 Shop For A Cause pass to your shopping bag to enjoy the savings at checkout. With your support, and the support of generous partners like Macy's, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of babies and their families. Thank you, March of Dimes P.S. A deal this good deserves to be shared. Tell your family and friends so they can sign up to receive an email reminder! And, join our Facebook event to get the latest and greatest updates! *Save 10% on electrics/electronics, watches, furniture, mattresses and rugs/floor coverings. March of Dimes does not endorse specific products or brands. This electronic message is sponsored by March of Dimes, a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Donations to March of Dimes are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. For more information about the March of Dimes, visit our website at marchofdimes.com. To unsubscribe from this type of appeal, simply send us an email here and you will be removed from future appeals mailing lists. To unsubscribe from all March of Dimes correspondence, simply send us an email here and you will be immediately taken off our mailing list. © 2012 March of Dimes Foundation March of Dimes 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605

Healthy Babies Are Worth The Wait

PREGNANCY VIDEO TREND SPREADS “HEALTHY BABIES ARE WORTH THE WAIT” MESSAGE

March of Dimes Uses “Real” Video In New Awareness Campaign

The March of Dimes created a new television public awareness campaign, using footage from a London couple who posted a video online as a way to share their pregnancy experience with their family and friends.  The March of Dimes found the video with the help of the non-profit’s cause marketing agency, Crossroads, based in Kansas City, Missouri. Created by Tim Warwood and Lucy Ball, the original video chronicles Lucy’s pregnancy with video clips and pictures. The couple ended the video with the introduction of their baby girl, Liliah, who was born full-term and healthy in October 2009.

“This video is authentic and real and women relate to it because they’re probably creating something similar to share their pregnancy story with family and friends,” said Douglas A. Staples, senior vice president of strategic marketing and communications for the March of Dimes.  “We’re tapping into that connection to share our important health message that healthy babies are worth the wait, and if your pregnancy is healthy, you should wait for labor to begin on its own rather than scheduling an induction or cesearean delivery.”

Check out the video above or see it on YouTube Here !

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year and more than one million of those infants die as a result of their early births.  Babies who survive an early birth often face the risk of lifelong health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and others. Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants

The video is an expansion of the March of Dimes “Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait” campaign which educates women and health care providers about the importance of a full term pregnancy because critical development of the brain, lungs and other organs occur during the last weeks of pregnancy. Additional information is available at marchofdimes.com/39weeks.

In addition to the televised video, the campaign includes online and print advertising, as well as patient education materials. The March of Dimes partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in a new federal program called Strong Start to co-brand the awareness materials and distribute them more widely.  Also, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers is challenging its members to reduce premature birth rates by 8 percent by 2014 and encouraging them to run the new spot; 45 and the District of Columbia states, have accepted this challenge.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.  With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies^®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

Infant mortality decreased in Tennessee- Now a better Kids Count ranking

TN kids are healthiest in South, according to Kids Count ranking (TN/Gonzalez)

Despite gains, Tennessee lingered among the bottom 10 states for education Kids in Tennessee rank as the healthiest in the South — to the surprise of even some state officials — in the latest state-by-state comparison of the well-being of children.

The 2012 Kids Count Data Book, released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, shows fewer teens abusing alcohol and drugs, fewer kids living without health insurance and fewer babies being born at low birth weights in the Volunteer State. Those measures placed Tennessee 16th in the nation in children’s health, one place ahead of Virginia and far above other southern states. Measures the state has struggled with in past Kids Count studies, including childhood obesity, infant mortality and access to dental care, were not considered.

Going beyond health, the foundation considered 16 total factors, and ranked the state at 36th overall for child well-being, the state’s best placement to date and an improvement on last year’s 39th-place ranking. But the news wasn’t all good. The study found economic hardship still rising, with one of four Tennessee kids now living in poverty. And Tennessee lingered among the bottom 10 states for education. Three-fourths of fourth graders fail to read proficiently, a decline that goes against a national trend of improvement.

HYPERLINK "http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120725/NEWS21/307250105/TN-kids-healthiest-South-according-Kids-Count-ranking?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1" http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120725/NEWS21/307250105/TN-kids-healthiest-South-according-Kids-Count-ranking?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1

A Prematurity Story "Kyle & Kraig Juelfs"

Michelle Hall is a beautiful mother from Memphis that unfortunately had to experience the birth of her twins prematurely. She has overcame a devestating time in her life and wants to inform people about how serious prematurity is. She is a supporter of the March of Dimes, and now she has the chance to share her story below:

"On November 4, 2004, I gave birth to identical twin boys at 25 weeks gestation--Kyle (weighing 1 lb 3 oz) was born sleeping, having been crushed when my water broke and Kraig was taken immediately to the NICU where he spent the next 11 weeks. Kraig, weighing just 1 pound 13 ounces overcame many obstacles and endured many procedures "common" for premature infants--daily blood tests, numerous x-rays, infections treated with IV antibiotics, central line IVs, blood transfusions, apnea/bradycardia spells, oxygen administration, and several resuscitation efforts.

He came home in January 2005 on oxygen, underwent laser eye surgery at 12 weeks of age (the week after he came home), continues to be monitored bi-annually by a pediatric ophthalmologist and annually by a retina specialist. He has also received physical, occupational, and speech therapy. However, he is now a happy, healthy 7 year old and very much looking forward to his baptism later this year!!! He wears glasses for nearsightedness, partly due to the ROP and partly due to genetics.

He talks (and acts) like a little man--he has his own way of thinking, which we call Kraigisms--and he LOVES watching Cupcake Wars (and then helping me bake cupcakes!) He attended special needs preschool for pervasive development disorder and made tremendous progress and will be entering the 2nd grade this year...so well that he tested out of special ed/resource services by the end of his kindergarten year. "

Photo:

Top Left: Kyle
Bottom Left: Kraig at birth
Bottom Right: Kraig current (April 2012)

Very cute babies. It is SO amazing to hear this success story about Kraig. Thank you Michelle Hall for sharing your story with us.

Please visit our website http://www.marchofdimes.com/tennessee/ for information about March of Dimes and to donate to help save babies like Kyle & Kraig.

March of Dimes Hosts Kangaroo Care-a-Thon in NICU

Care-A-Thon Raises Awareness for Kangaroo Care in NICU

The Regional Medical Center at Memphis (also known as "The Med") partnered up with the March of Dimes and hosted a 15-day "Kangaroo Care-a-thon". The purpose of this event was to raise awareness to  families the Center's employees about the benefits of "Kangaroo Care".

What is Kangaroo Care?

"Kangaroo Care" is the skin-to-skin contact between a parent and their child for a long period of time. This contact provides so many benefits for both parent and child, such as bonding and improved outcomes of the relationship.

When in the NICU,  new-born babies are attached to various equipment, wires, and monitors for survival. Although this is necessary for the health of the baby, it is important to remember that these babies need attachment and great bonding to their parent, too.

When was the Kangaroo-a-thon?

The event began May 15, 2012, the 1st Internation Kangaroo Care Awareness Day, and continued until May 30, 2012.  The goal was to enlist at least 15 families in Kangaroo Care during these dates.
A "Kangaroo Care Kit" was presented each time a family "kangarooed" for the first time. The "Kangaroo Care Kit" opportunity was from the courtsey of March of Dimes volunteers.
Also, each parent and their nurse were entered into a drawing to receive a special gift basket at the end of the Care-a-thon.

Picture: Karen Hill, March of Dimes NICU Family Support Specialist and Megan Pentecost, NICU nurse and winner of the special gift basket.

Congrats to all for championing "Kangaroo Care" and supporting the benefits of skin-to-skin contact and care for babies and their families!

For the full article click here-->The Med and March of Dimes Host "Care-a-thon"

Infant Mortality Rate-Memphis

Every year in the United States, more than half a million babies are born too soon, 11,512 of them right here in Tennessee.

With your help, we work to improve the health of babies and support families if something does go wrong. 


Memphis is plagued with the highest infant mortality rate in the NATION. More babies here do not survive their first year of life than other babies in THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES such as Cuba and Slovenia.

Visit www.marchofdimes.com/tennessee for information about our Chapter and to donate.