If you’re part
of an Austin family team, the March of Dimes mission may have impacted your
life in one way or another. This year, Austin’s overall goal for March for
Babies is $1 million. You may be asking yourself, where does that money go?
Well, today on the Austin Family Teams blog, we’re going to discover where
exactly the money goes!
First, we need
to understand the severity of prematurity in Texas. In an average week in Texas
7,723 babies are born, 1,001 of those babies are born premature. That means 1
out of 8 babies is born premature each year in Texas. Prematurity is the
leading cause of death before the age of one and birth defects are the leading
cause of infant death. This is a real problem in Texas and more than $26.2
billion annually is spent on medical costs, education and lost productivity due
to prematurity.
The
March of Dimes mission is to prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant
mortality. Through research and grants we have been able to find cures and
prevention for many birth defects. Along with research, the March of Dimes also provides funding and support
for a variety of signature prenatal education programs that have been shown to
improve birth outcomes among participants. Learn about some of these programs
below:
Becoming a Mom/Comenzando bien
This program
was created specifically to provide information that is culturally sensitive
and relevant for Hispanic women and designed to improve participants’ chances
of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
CenteringPregnancy
Centering
includes health care assessment, education, and support, provided in a group
setting facilitated by a credentialed health care provider.
Honey Child
Honey
Child is a faith-based prenatal education program providing African-American
women with information and support to have the healthiest
possible pregnancy.
These programs are just the tip of the iceberg of what the March
of Dimes does to lower the prematurity rate in Texas, and across the nation. Feel
free to share information on where the money goes along to your family and
friends to inspire them in supporting your team!
Check back next week for more tips on fundraising and
incentivizing your walkers! In the meantime, comment below to tell us how March
of Dimes programs have affected your life!
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