March of Dimes Ambassador Families....

[MightyMom]

We are the March of Dimes Ambassador family in our area for 2008. It's an honor to represent an organization that had a huge part in curing polio. I have hope that there will be a cure for prematurity and other birth defects.

If you have been an Ambassador family..... or you are this year.... please post your experience.

Our local March for Babies is tomorrow.... April 20th..... and I'm supposed to write a little speech to kick of the march..... but I'm feeling rather uninspired.... so I'm hoping your stories will offer me some inspiration.

 

[SueM in MN]

Congratulations on being an Ambassador Family for such a wonderful organization.

As a nurse, I have benefitted in the past from some of the educational presentations March of Dimes provided. As a Public Health Nurse, I used a lot of their materials for families I provided care for.

 

[LauraVV]

Don't have any words of wisdom. But we would also like to prevent prematurity. Our daughter was born suddenly at 22 5/7 weeks. It really gets me when you hear stories about very tiny babies being sent home from the NICU and they say that the baby is doing well and will likely have few or no problems.

Long term follow up is needed. We had developmental follow up for 3 years only. I noticed learning problems in kindergarten but it took the school system until 3rd grade. Even now, her learning issues are poorly understood. She's happy kiddo who enjoys life. We didn't make it through prematurity scott free but you'd never pick her out of a crowd as a preemie.

I wish the doctors and nurses had told us they didn't know what to expect. I wish they'd have followed her more closely and would have referred her to specialists more quickly. I know that if she didn't have such a proactive mother she'd have many more problems than she does.

 

[stenickar]

I have not been an ambassador family, but did benefit greatly from the March of Dimes. I am 44yo and was born with a cleft lip and palate. M of D paid for all of my surgeries, dental and orthodontic work . I had my first surgery at 6 months old and my last one at 17yo. I am totally overwhelmed when I think about the amount of $$$ they must have spent on me . I had at least 5 surgeries. And went to the oral surgeon a lot. I also had braces for 4+ years. March of Dimes is such a great organization. Congratulations on being able to represent them

 

[tweedlemom]

We were an Ambassador Family for several years. My son was born 5 1/2 weeks premature. He is healthy now, but spent a week in the NICU and endured Early Intervention therapy as well as our districts preschool disabled program to help him with his speech. My inspiration from my speeches was always that I had fundraised and walked for the March of Dimes in college for community service projects for various organizations I was with. I never knew that 10 years later, the funds I raised back then would inevitably save the life of my own son now.
Good luck with your walk! Remind everyone that they are doing a wonderful thing, walking to help save babies who can't fight for themselves. There are families who are in NICU's at this very moment with their beloved preemies, and I'm sure that they are grateful for your hard work!