Our "Amazing Grace" was born 12 weeks too early and weighed just 1.5 lbs. She was in the hospital for 127 days before coming home on oxygen and a feeding tube. She quickly learned to eat on her own but remained on oxygen until her first birthday. She was diagnosed as developmentally delayed and worked with therapists for three years to strengthen her muscles, coordination, and balance. We worked hard to mitigate her delays, and although she was late at achieving many of the important milestones - sitting, eating, crawling, etc. She finally learned to walk when she was 27 months old!

At the age of three, Grace "graduated" from the program and never looked back. Today she loves school, singing, t-ball and basketball. We are one of the very lucky families, but there are so many more that didn't have the same happy outcome as we did.

March of Dimes medical research saved Grace's life! Without surfactant therapy, that was given to Grace immediately after her birth, she would have never taken a first breath. We would have lost her before we could even know her.

Please support our team "WALK WITH GRACE" and make a contribution that will help support research and programs that save babies′ lives.

See more of Grace's story at:

http://www.youtube.com/khmktg

We are indebted to March of Dimes for their mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Thank you for your support.

Kathleen (Harrigan) Lefcourt

www.lefcourt.blogspot.com

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.