March of Dimes Inland Empire March for Babies 2016 Raises Prematurity Awareness

For years, cities statewide have been holding the March for Babies event, an annual fundraiser aimed to help improve infant health by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. This year, the Inland Empire is once again doing its part by partnering with March of Dimes May 7 for a walk in Jurupa Valley. Families are welcome to participate on the walk along public paths, however, parts of the longer route are slightly bumpy, so parents with strollers might want to consider the 2k, ADA accessible route. Dogs are also welcome. This year, several area sponsors are participating to make the event possible. American Medical Response, Big 5, FedEx, Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and United Airlines are just a few of the companies dedicated to helping March of Dimes bring the March for Babies event back to the Inland Empire. March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health, devoted to improving the lives of the nearly 4 million babies born yearly in the United States through research, education, support, and advocacy. March of Dimes funded 26 research grants totaling $6 million in 2015 to institutions in California, including UC Riverside, and $4 million to the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at Stand University, which is the first of five national trans-disciplinary research centers. The goal of events like March for Babies is to keep the funding for this research going. This year, March of Dimes aims to raise $600,000 through the walk, bringing in nearly 20 companies and almost 3,500 members from the community to advocate for the babies’ lives. One family participating this year, the Martins, have a special tie to the walk and are working hard to spread awareness on prematurity. On Mother’s Day in 2012, Leena and Brielle Martin were born prematurely at only 25 weeks. Each weighed barely over a pound. From the beginning, the Martin family was told to expect the worst, but after a long stay in the NICU that included multiple surgical procedures like nitric oxide therapy, laser eye surgery, nissen fundoplication and gastronomy tube placement, the girls ended their 156-day stay at Kaiser Fontana and were finally able to come home to their family. The Martins, hailing locally from Moreno Valley, is partnering with March of Dimes to share their story and spread more awareness for babies’ health, especially those born prematurely, and will be participating in the walk. Check in for the event will begin at 8 a.m. and the walk will begin at 9 a.m. at Rancho Jurupa Park in Jurupa Valley. Parking is free for participants and more information on parking and directions are available on March of Dimes’ website. Performing arts, live music, bouncy houses and other family-fun activities will be present at the event. If you are interested in donating, visit https://www.marchofdimes.org/california/support_giving.html.