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Health & Fitness

March for Babies in Fairfield County Raises Nearly $300,000

On two sunny weekends in April and May, hundreds of families and corporate supporters came out in three towns in Fairfield County to support Connecticut’s tiniest citizens – babies --  and to-date have raised nearly $300,000 at March for Babies, the March of Dimes walk fundraiser to honor babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive. 

"When I was with the other hundreds of walkers in Fairfield, there was a sense of hope, which is so important," says Dr. Shaun Williams, a fertility specialist with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMACT), which sponsored the walks in Fairfield and Danbury. "Like the March of Dimes, RMACT's mission is healthy pregnancies, and March for Babies is helping to spread this important message and to raise funds."

Teams like RMACT’s, which raised over $8,000, help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.
 
The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects nearly half a million babies each year, and nearly 4,000 babies in Connecticut.  Babies born too soon are more likely to die or have disabilities.  The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this toll by funding research to find the answers to premature birth and providing comfort and information to families who are affected. 

The March of Dimes celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and its ongoing work to help all babies get a healthy start in life.  More than 4 million babies were born in the United States last year, and the March of Dimes has helped each and every one through research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.    The March of Dimes thanks all walkers, donors, volunteers and sponsors for their support of March for Babies.  Photos are available online at facebook.com/marchofdimesct

March for Babies thanks sponsors in Fairfield County, including Yale- New Haven Children’s Hospital, Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, Building and Land Technology, Matrix Corporate Center, Connex International, Branson Ultrasonics Corp., Fairfield County Bank of Danbury, Connecticut Parent Magazine, 98Q, News12 Connecticut, Star 99.9, and Lamar.  March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, Macy’s, Cigna, Sanofi Pasteur, Famous Footwear, Actavis, Mission Pharmacal, and United Airlines.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, 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.  Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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