Simon Kelly Francis was born at 28 weeks, 6 days weighing 3 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 16.25 inches. His mom was hospitalized four days prior to his birth for pre-eclampsia. What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his parents' lives suddenly became the scariest. Simon spent his first days fighting for his life. He spent spent 77 days in the NICU growing and learning to breathe and eat on his own. He was three days old before he was stable enough to be held for the first time. Simon's parents are thankful for surfactant therapy which helped his immature lungs to breathe and kangaroo care which allowed Simon to have skin-to skin contact with his parents to help him bond and grow stronger. These were made possible thanks for research funded by the March of Dimes.
Simon is a miracle. His family is so thankful for him and want to support research to end premature births so other families don't have to travel the road they did. Right now, babies need all the help they can get. Premature birth affects about 380,000 babies here in the United States alone. Please consider making a donation to the March of Dimes. Together we can help the March of Dimes fight prematurity so more babies and families can get the strongest start possible.
March of Dimes is dedicated to bringing people together to tackle America's maternal and infant health crisis—one person, one community, and one step at a time. More than a series of walks, March for Babies is an annual tradition that supports moms and babies every day, every step of the way.
March for Babies connects friends, families, and coworkers to improve the health of families nationwide. Together with March of Dimes, each step forward brings us closer to a healthy future for all.
Thank you for your support!
