"Every Baby Has A Story" Campaign Visits Rush University Medical Center Thursday, November 8

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 05 Nov 2007 - 4:00 PST

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A traveling "Every Baby Has A Story" motor coach launched by the March of Dimes will arrive in Chicago and be open to the public on Thursday, November 8 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Rush University Medical Center, 1650 W. Harrison Street, Chicago

This nationwide tour is crossing the U.S. on a 16-city, 28-day road trip, collecting memorable, inspiring, and humorous baby stories from parents and family members about their babies - those born healthy as well as those who need help to survive.

"November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to recognize the growing crisis of premature birth, and an opportunity for the March of Dimes to support and educate moms about how to give their babies a healthy start in life. So we're thrilled to be a stop on this nationwide tour that gives Chicagoans a chance to tell the stories about their babies, "said Board Chairman Kim Byas, March of Dimes Chicago Division. "Telling these stories helps us to connect with other families as well as support the March of Dimes."

"One out of every eight babies is premature. We are proud to partner with the March of Dimes to help raise awareness, educate and inform the public about the increasing rate of premature birth," said Deborah Lutner, MS, administrator of women's and children's services at Rush University Medical Center. "Prenatal care is a key factor in preventing preterm births and very low birthweight babies. We believe these personal stories will inspire expectant mothers to make healthy choices while pregnant."

For each person who tells their story on the "Every Baby Has A Story Tour" motor coach, Farmers Insurance will donate $20 to the March of Dimes. Additional participant gifts have been generously donated by Farmers, FedEx, American Baby Magazine, Motor Coach Industries, and others. The first pregnant woman to tell her story on site will receive a special gift from Motherhood Maternity.

The web site, marchofdimes.com/everybaby, powered by Scrapblog.com, allows people who cannot visit the motor coach on tour to add their stories via an interactive scrapbook page, including photos, text or video. Also, Shutterfly.com, the leading online photo service, is offering a coupon for a free poster-sized print to anyone who donates $20 or more to the campaign.

Several celebrity stories have already been recorded for the "Every Baby Has A Story Tour" including: Fred Savage, star of "The Wonder Years," and son Ollie have recorded their stories; Julie Bowen, from television's "Boston Legal," and "Ed"; Melissa Joan Hart, star of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" series; Constance Zimmer, from the HBO hit series "Entourage" and "Boston Legal"; Kellie Martin, from the series "Life Goes On" and "ER"; Diane Farr, from the television show "Numbers" on CBS; and also Alimi Ballard, star of "Numbers."

Joining the tour stop for the day are two other organizations: the American Academy of Periodontology and Bally Total Fitness. Past studies have shown a possible relationship between periodontal diseases and preterm low birth weight babies. Pregnant women with periodontal disease may be seven times more likely to have a baby that is born too early and too small. The good news is that by working with a periodontist - a dentist specializing in the gums and supporting structures around the teeth - to identify and treat periodontal diseases, a woman may reduce her risk of delivering prematurely.

The Bally Total Fitness Performance Team will demonstrate fun ways to get active and stay healthy, as well as distribute free one-week passes to any Chicagoland Bally Total Fitness to the first fifty who share their stories.

The tour began on October 17th in New York City and then proceeded to Washington, D.C. Other stops include Atlanta, GA; Nashville, TN; Houston, TX; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; St. Louis, MO; Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; and Philadelphia, PA before arriving back in Times Square in New York City on November 13, Prematurity Awareness Day.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at http://www.nacersano.org

The section of Neonatology at Rush University Medical Center provides the full spectrum of medical and surgical care for critically ill infants born there or transferred from other hospitals. The 45-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is adjacent to the labor/delivery services to provide immediate neonatal coverage during high-risk deliveries. Rush is one of two hospitals in the Chicago area that has a board-certified neonatologist in-house 24 hours a day with immediate availability for consultations and referrals. The Rush Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Program is a unique team of experts that provides informed options and quality care as well as compassion and support for parents facing hard decisions related to a fetus or newborn with medical anomalies.

Rush University Medical Center