Family Teams Friday

Meet Team 4 Lil Angels
Two women who have been friends for more than fifteen years and share a journey through premature childbirth; over ten weeks early.

 

Morris and Brooks Family
We walk because we know miracles do happen. The Brooks and Morris Family are proof of that. We decided to form a family team because we both experienced premature births firsthand. We never imagined after being friends for 15 years, we would deliver our twins only 7 weeks apart and over 10 weeks early. We both know what it means to endure life, a lost, heartache and despair all at a time when it should be joyous and worry free. We decided to form our family team "4 Lil Angels" because we want to help stop premature births so no family has to face what we, and many other families, did.
"Enjoy your Blessings" ~Morris & Brooks Family
 


Brooks Family
Not due until August 2, 2012, Bryson, born @ 2 lbs 9 oz, and Brayden, born @ 2 lbs 12 oz, were delivered on May 22, 2012 (10 weeks early).


 

Their hospital stays lasted two and a half months and consisted of one surgery, ventilators, constant monitoring and medications to help them survive. With the help of the hospital staff and the March of Dimes, the Brooks brothers got to go home. And now at 20 months, the boys are healthy and striving!!!


                                                            

Morris Family
Not due until Oct 20, 2012, Kayden, born @ 2 lbs 0 oz and Kameron, born @ 1 lb 15 oz were delivered on July 10, 2012 at only 25 weeks.

 

Kayden fought long enough to give his twin brother Kameron a chance at life before he passed on July 11, 2012. God left us a fighter, Kameron Ayden Morris! He endured 31/2 months of being in the hospital in the NICU, on ventilators, medications, constant monitoring to help him through the fight. The nurses and doctors were amazing in helping us and Kameron through it all. When we finally got the news that he could go home, that was truly a happy moment for us.

Although at home, he was still on a heart monitor and breathing machine, but he fought the good fight and he's still winning to this day, FULL of energy, playing, laughing, learning and living the life of a normal 18month old baby boy.

Thank you for supporting the March of Dimes through March for Babies.  Your commitment helps save lives, bring hope, and encourage families just like these two. 

Natalie N. Lucas
972-232-1376
nlucas@marchofdimes.com

GRANDparents always remember the first time they held their grandchildren.  They hold such a special place in our hearts.  As our trusted advisors who celebrate our successes and offer guidance when we are challenged, we are forever grateful.  Grandparents are often the glue that keeps our families together, especially in times of crisis. 
 
GRANDparents supported March of Dimes research when we conquered polio.  We are grateful to have their help as we work toward stronger, healthier babies! 
 

GRAND from the GRANDS

 

Allow the grandparents in your life to participate in fundraising through this challenge. 

 

What you can do?

• Encourage grandparents to register on your team
• If you are a grandparent - you can start a team in honor or memory of a child in your life at www.marchforbabies.org
• We challenge grandparents to raise $1000.00 for their family teams 

 

We would not be the organization we are today had it not been for the commitments of our grandparents. 

 

 

Our mission has evolved over the years but our sense of urgency has not. In 1938 Franklin D. Roosevelt founded the National Infantile Paralysis Foundation to fund research to combat the polio virus. 

Then… communities came together to raise money to combat polio. More than 2 million dimes were sent to the White House and the foundation was referred to as the March of Dimes. Generations of School age children from all over the country were a  vital part of this unparalleled effort.

 

Now… that polio has been eradicated in the United States the March of Dimes is on a mission to help moms have healthy full-term pregnancies.  The March of Dimes provides comfort for families with babies in distress and focuses on the research, education, advocacy and education programs that will one day prevent preterm birth.  The school age children that helped conquer polio are now grandparents and great grandparents – and they know how important it is for babies to get a healthy start. As the March of Dimes celebrates its 10th  Anniversary of family teams, we are calling on our Grateful GRANDparents to help lead the way!

 

For additional information please contact us at 972-232-1376 or nlucas@marchofdimes.com

 

 

TOP Teams Tuesday

 

17 DAYS AWAY!!!

2014 March for Babies

Saturday, April 12 9:00 a.m.

Norbuck Park at White Rock Lake

Thank you all for your continued commitment to the March of Dimes through March for Babies.  We wanted to recognize a few of our Top Teams and Individuals for their Fundraising Activity to date! 

Here they are.....

                            Drum Roll Please....

 

 

Dallas Division Top Fundraising:

 

Family TEAMS                               Family Team WALKERS

Running for Aidan	7,306.00	George & Charmaine Tang	4745.00
Team Tang – O	4,870.00	Kara Price	2200.00
Team 33	4,356.00	Amanda Mccaffrey	1795.00
Team Truman	3,500.00	Natalie Pegg	1640.00
Plano NICU Parents	3,195.00	Tracy Sievers	1270.00
Angel Byrd	1,890.00	Staci Wright	1025.00
Team Harper Ann	1,695.00	Kayla Adams	1000.00
Micro Mini Miracles	1,393.00	Savanna Bettis	830.00
The Bettis Family Team	1,148.00	Curtis Clay III	825.00
Team Thumper	1,125.00	Feleseya Joshua	800.00

 

 NEW Family Teams

Team Harper Ann	1695.00
Team Kendric	800.00
Eva	760.00
The Runts	720.00
ChasenDillons	705.00
Team Cohen Jake	600.00
Caroline’s Cuties	588.03
Team 27 & 4/7ths	570.00
Thunder & Lightening	550.00
Pounding Pavement for Tatiana	505.00

 

 

Thank you,

Natalie N. Lucas

972-232-1376

nlucas@marchofdimes.com



Once upon a time...

Once upon a time there was a little girl that dreamed of becoming a mom.  She held onto this dream through adolescence into adulthood.  She met the man of her dreams, got married and assumed it would be easy to fulfill her dream.

She never imagined it would take so many years to become a mom but she was THRILLED when she found out she was having twins!  She had always dreamt of having two kids so this was right in line with her happily ever after.

But in an instant, her dreams were shattered into a million pieces when her twin girls were born 4 months early and tinier than any babies she had imagined in her dreams.  Her life had transformed from a fairy tale into a terrible nightmare when one of her children earned their wings and left her arms.

 

Her surviving baby girl was in the hospital for 4 months before coming home.  They had to keep the fragile little princess in isolation to prevent her from getting sick because she had a very weak immune system.

The little girl that had dreamed of becoming a mom was devastated by her child's death and worn ragged with the care of her little fighter, fearing everyday she would lose her too.  This woman had no idea how hard being a mom would be...how broken her heart could be and still be beating or how much she could love someone that weighed barely a pound.

 

Her world was very dark and she wondered if light would ever touch her face again.

 

She decided to take a walk one day with 20,000 other people.  It was still dark in her world but she could see the faint glimmer of light contained in the hearts of every walker.

She joined hands and hearts with all of those families like hers that had lost their fire within.

 

Soon a spark ignited in her heart and in the halo of that tiny spark she saw something she had not seen in a very long time and thought she had lost forever...HOPE.

 

 

 

Cast

The Little Girl with BIG Dreams…Linda Bailey

The Little Angel…Madison Bailey  08/01/2006 – 08/02/2006

The Little Fighter…Kaitlyn Madison Bailey  Born 08/01/2006  Now 7 yrs old

 

For more details on March for Babies please contact us:

www.marchforbabies.org

Natalie N. Lucas

972-232-1376

nlucas@marchofdimes.com

Why We Continue to Walk...

This year is the tenth anniversary of March for Babies Family Teams.  We are so honored to have an opportunity for families to Walk as a team, Fundraise as a team, as well as Honor the lives and memories of their children.  The Dallas Division feels especially honored to have teams who have walked with us even before family teams were created. 

Darin's Family and Friends
March for Babies 2013

Valarie Delgado and her team, Darin's Family and Friends, are celebrating their twelth year walking at March for Babies.  The Delgado's first learned about March of Dimes from a folder received while in the NICU.  Darrin, Frankie and Valarie Delgado's son, was born in April and the walk was the same month.  Their team was not prepared to walk at that time. They made a promise however, that they would honor their son's memory by walking the very next year.  Along with thirty other family and friends, they registered that year as individual walkers and celbrated the memory of Darin.  "Our first year, my mother was 70 years old, the walk was 11 miles, and we had no idea what to expect.  Every mile was an opportunity to honor his memory."  Darin's Family & Friends" have faithfully walked every year, no matter the weather or the distance they were away from the event.
 

Frankie Delgado and his Unit
Running at the same time as "Darin's Family & Friends"
March for Babies 2009
 

Marine, Frankie Delgado, was deployed to Afghanistan before March for Babies in 2009.  He  refused to let that keep him from participating.  Frankie and his unit ran at the same time "Darrin's Family and Friends" were completing the walk in Dallas, TX.  This meant so much to his wife Valerie, especially that year as she was pregnant with twins. 
In 2010 her twins were able to honor their older brother's memory by joining the walk themselves and are excited to walk again this year. 







The team meets by the Preemie Pit and has a Pep Rally before the walk at March for Babies.  "We do not get to put Christmas presents under the tree for Darin every year, or blow out candles on his birthday.  March for Babies is our opportunity to make up for those missed moments.  All of my family and friends commit to the walk and use this as their opportunity to celebrate Darin with us, and we are greatful."  Valarie said that they never let ANYTHING keep them from walking. Their team feels if they can help save even one baby through their efforts, than their sacrifice matters. 


Thank you Darin's Family and Friends for your allowing us to celebrate with you every year.  If you and your family team have a story to share, please post in the comments. 

Keep Walking, Keep Fighting, Keep Honoring the lives and memories of babies everywhere. 

Valarie, Frank, and Darrin's Family & Friends have committed to continue walking. 

Natalie N. Lucas
nlucas@marchofdimes.com
972-232-1376