The recent Charles County WalkAmerica event in La Plata was blessed with beautiful weather, and many teams of dedicated walkers and their sponsors. Together they raised over $95k for the organization, which will be dedicated to funding various projects and research, all to help babies.
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Foundations Therapeutic Foster Care Agency |
Jennifer Abell is the Southern Maryland Director of the March of Dimes and responsible for organizing the local WalkAmerica, an important March of Dimes fundraising event. The event brings members of the community together to raise the necessary funding for the sake of the babies. Ms. Abell told The Bay Net she was excited over the success of the recent walk and said over 600 people attended, including Commissioner Reuben Collins and his family, who have also been affected by a premature birth.
Ms. Abell’s interest in the March of Dimes began when her daughter Rebecca was born prematurely due to medical complications during pregnancy. As director she spends much of her time educating the public about premature birth and birth defects.
March of Dimes of began in 1938 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis; a collaborative effort between scientists and volunteers to eradicate Polio. Vaudevillian star of the time, Eddie Cantor, coined the phrase “March of Dimes” by asking the public to send President Roosevelt dimes. In 1962 and oral vaccine developed by Dr. Albert Sabin with funding from the March of Dimes was licensed. Since that time March of Dimes has been responsible for funding the research for many treatments and therapies to both prevent and treat birth defects and premature births.
March of Dimes funding is also responsible for other breakthroughs like the Apgar score, developed by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952 and used to this day to evaluate an infant’s physical condition at birth. There is no doubt that the efforts of the organization have had a major impact on medicine, the lives of babies and their families.
WalkAmerica Chair Candice Quinn Kelly said, “I am proud that Charles County joined the millions of compassionate people across the country who support WalkAmerica every year. I know we can make difference by giving hope to families. We can help give all babies the gift of a healthy start.” WalkAmerica for Calvert County took place last Sunday, May 6th. In October, Southern Maryland Bikers for Babies will give the biker community a chance to help.
More than half a million babies are born prematurely every year and more than 120,000 are born with serious birth defects that can mean a lifetime disability. Besides funding research, the March of Dimes also brings information and emotional support to the families of premature or ill babies treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).
Local 2007 WalkAmerica Sponsors included Charles County Government, Chaney Enterprises, Maryland Bank & Trust, Show Pla