MARCH FOR BABIES: A MOTHER OF A MOVEMENT™
Marion County
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Baseline Road Trailhead
Baseline Road Trailhead 4255 SE 58 Ave, Ocala, FL 34480
Date: Saturday, April 29, 2017 8:00 AM
Baseline Road Trailhead 4255 SE 58 Ave, Ocala, FL 34480
Date: Saturday, April 29, 2017 8:00 AM
Our ambassador
2017 Marion County Ambassadors The Kelsey Family
2017 Marion County Ambassadors The Kelsey Family
"In 2015 we found out we were expecting twins. We were excited and a little nervous to say the least. My first two trimesters seemed to be going well until week 26. On March 14th I was admitted into Shands for preeclampsia. In this case, early delivery is the safest option. On March 17th our lives changed forever and we welcomed Isabella weighing at 1 pound 10 oz and Esmeralda weighing at 2 pounds. Never would I have imagined that our journey would bring us here, in front of you all. We had never been exposed to the NICU or prematurity—we never planned for this and now we’re living it. We had so many questions. How do we cope with the process? What are the next steps? How do I educate myself for all of this? When will the girls come home? Will they come home? The next three months were the toughest months of our lives. Along with all the emotion and fear in our hearts, I dove headfirst into the trying to learn as much as I could about prematurity, terms, medications, life in the NICU and life outside the NICU. The only place I was able to find reliable information was on the March of Dimes website under the NICU Family Support program. They help with every step of the process making it a little easier to cope with and understand what lies ahead and how to prepare. This is one example of what March of Dimes is doing for families.
The most common lung problem in a premature baby is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). A baby develops RDS when the lungs do not produce sufficient amounts of surfactant. This is a substance that keeps the tiny air sacs in the lung open. What happens if a babies lungs don’t remain open? The baby could potentially die. Researchers for March of Dimes help develop surfactant treatments, which has saved tens of thousands of premature babies with breathing problems, including Isabella and Esmeralda who both received this treatment immediately after they were born.
Fast-forward 2 years, we have a very happy ending. Both girls are doing fantastic! They are current with all their milestones, they’re extremely active and keeping us both very busy! We’re also getting ready to celebrate their 2nd birthday next month! Without the help of March of Dimes and their Prematurity Research Initiative program I don’t think we’d be sharing all these adorable moments with our girls every day and that is hard to say out loud but true. That's why we're here today, to share how March of Dimes helps save lives. Thank you for allowing us to share our journey with you. We look forward to seeing you again at the walk on April 29th!"
NATIONAL PARTNERS
Thank you to our local sponsors