Hi, I am Dari`Anna Latimore, Daughter of Damion and La'Tonya (Toni) Latimore. I was born at 31 weeks weighing 3 lbs. 6oz. During the first couple of days of my life, my weight dropped down to just under 3 pounds. While in the hospital I developed jaundice and Respiratory Distress Syndrome. During my four week stay, they found that I had Sleep Apnea. My parents and all of my caregivers had to take an Infant CPR class just to take me home. Two days before I was going to be released from the hospital my mother got a call from the nurses saying that I would not eat and I could not come home until I started eating. After they did some testing, they found that my blood count was drastically low and a blood transfusion was necessary. I came home at 4lbs. 11oz. with a Sleep Apnea monitor that went off every time I stopped breathing. This was on a Tuesday. On Friday, I started to scream in intense pain and that is when my parents found out that I had a severe case of GERD - Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease. In my first 3 years of life, I was been hospitalized three times with everyday issues that can become life-threatening health issues for premature babies. These issues have been resolved with good follow-up care. As you can see from my picture today, I am a healthy, happy and very active 17-year-old entrepreneur with a fondness for helping others in need, especially the homeless. I am one of the many success stories for how the March of Dimes saves lives. However, there are still many babies in America who don't survive a premature birth,. The March of Dimes is funding special research to find out why more than 460,000 babies each year are born too soon and what can be done to fight premature birth. Today in the U.S., 1 in every 8 babies will be born prematurely. Some of them won't survive and others will have health problems that could last a lifetime. The funds raised at the March for Babies will support research and education that saves babies' lives. Please join my family and me and all the other KPMG walkers or offer your sponsorship support!!! Thank you for considering joining our team again this year!
With preterm birth rates continuing to rise, the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth, especially for women and babies of color.
At March for Babies: A Mother of a Movement™ you're lifting up communities, creating connections and taking action to make America a more equitable place and ensure that every mom and baby is healthy.
Together, we’re marching to raise funds and awareness to transform the health of all families!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Thank you to our local sponsors
