March For Babies

We're pretty excited about this year's March of Dimes March for Babies (formerly known as Walk America). As my dear husband reported yesterday, and as Dennis pointed out on Erie Blogs, we've been chosen as this year's ambassador family for Crawford County. We're honored, and so happy that we've been asked to share our story.

As many long time readers know, Evan was born at 31 weeks in January of 2002--9 weeks shy of his late March due date. He weighed just 3 pounds, and spent five weeks in the Hamot NICU before he was healthy enough to come home to us. It was a difficult time for our family--having our first child and not being able to hold him for a week, worrying over infections and brain bleeds and a hole in his heart, watching him struggle to breathe or learn to eat. We are so fortunate in that Evan has had no lasting health problems from his prematurity, and that's thanks in no small part to the work of the March of Dimes.

So every year we try to do our part, whether it is making a donation or walking and collecting donations in the March for Babies. Last year Mike was the top fundraiser in Crawford County, having raised over $1000. Our family and friends have gone above and beyond in helping us each year, and we're asking for your help again. We want to do even more good as the ambassador family, and we're hoping you will join us.

Mike and I are both walking this year--Mike is the team captain for our group, Team LolCatz. We're hoping to get more folks to join our team, so if you'd like to take part in the walk on April 27th, click that link and follow the instructions to get started. We'd like to have a great group at the Crawford County Fairgrounds that day!

If you don't live in the area and would be willing to sponsor one of our team members, that would be awesome as well. Both Mike and I will be fundraising online, and Mike's offering some great gifts at different sponsorship levels. I will be randomly selecting one of my sponsors to win a March of Dimes angel bear--very cute and cuddly! If you'd like to donate, please click here. Even just a few dollars will help us reach our goal, and many companies (like GE) offer matching gifts, so your donation could double if your employer participates.

I want to thank everyone for their support of the March of Dimes over the years, and again this year. It is really so important to us--Evan was helped so much by the work of the March of Dimes, and we want to make sure other premature babies get that same kind of care. Thank you!