Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November is National Prematurity Awareness Month~My Article Re:Prematurity Awareness

November certainly is a very special month as it marks the start of the holiday season. Furthermore, it marks another very special time of the year. Novemner is National Prematurity Awareness Month. In an attempt to help spread awareness, I have included an article that I recently wrote. I hope you may take away a bit of otherwise unknown information, a bit of inspiration and a desire to join us in speading awareness.

I recently wrote this article to share with my fellow AMOM (Austin Moms of Multiples) friends and now would like to share it with all of you, Jenna and Blake's great supporters.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month-Please Wear Purple on November 17th.
Well ladies, here we are in November already. With November marking the start of a soon-to-be holiday season, November also marks a time of awareness, reflection, celebration, and rememberance.

Being a member of this wonderful group, we have all been touched and effected by prematurity in one way or another. Some of us have had a family member, co-worker, friend, or relative who has given birth prematurely. Some of us has had nieces, nephews, or cousins born prematurely. Moreover, many of us have helped support fellow members as they've struggled through challenging NICU journeys. And still, there are others of us who know that journey all too well as we watched our own children be born so small, so fragile.

Prematurity effects almost everyone at sometime in their lives. According to the March of Dimes, each week in Austin, 65 babies are born premature. One in seven babies are born premature in Texas. Furthermore, on average, 26 babies are born each week with a birth defect in Austin.

Thankfully with the help of the March of Dimes, more and more babies are born healthy. Those who are born premature are provided the medical attention to better help them conquer prematurity and fight against threatening long term effects.

By raising awareness, we too can make a difference. In an attempt to share my support in this endeavor I thought I would pass along some ideas that I have found from various resources....ways that each of us can help raise awareness. ~Share your story on the online NICU support forums.
~Share your story in pictures of your baby's journey and growth through the NICU. Make an album that you can share with others to help them become aware of the challenges that take place in the NICU. ~Blog about Prematurity Month or about your own experience with Prematurity. ~Email friends/family about Prematurity Month
~Honor a child by creating a virtual band in honor or memory of a child, an organization or baby on-the-way. ~Visit http://marchofdimes.com/prematurity/index_advocacy.asp to find more ways to help fight for preemies ~Wear purple (or a purple ribbon) on November 17th, National Prematurity Awareness Day.

Perhaps the easiest thing we can do to help raise awareness is simply to share....share your experience, your thoughts, your passion for helping all babies be born healthy.

Please join me on November 17th and add a little (or a lot) color purple to your attire. Let's join in raising awareness and in honor of so many of our smallest of heroes.

Thanks for listening.....

I received an email from the MOD family team coordinator. It stated that The March of Dimes is currently holding a "NICU Necessities Campaign". They are collecting donations (preemie hats, socks, and clothes, rocking chairs or gliders, disposable cameras, blankets, restuarant gift cards, swaddle blankets, Zakys, bouncers, journals and pens) for families in the NICU and will be making a delivery on November 17th. For more info, feel free to email Stasia Vance, the family team coordinator at SVance@marchofdimes.com or feel free to email me as well.

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