WalkAmerica scheduled May 4

BAINES

When Zach Baines was born, his lungs were not developed and he had to be put on a respirator to help him breathe. He could not be feed through a bottle and had a weight loss of 1 pound, 6 ounces. He received two blood transfusions and had Apnea, which caused him to stop breathing and Bradycardia (slowed, irregular heart rate) that continued for seven months after his birth. He came home from the hospital weighing 4 pounds.

Zach is now in third grade at Hickory Creek Elementary. He is 9 years old and very healthy. He has no developmental or physical disabilities and is actually above the typical range for height and weight for his age.

“We are very thankful to the March of Dimes and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Arizona for their contributions and research and care of our son” said his mom, Daughn. “We are most of all thankful to God for his love and grace, for our son’s life.”

The Baines family is carrying on a 56-year tradition of the March of Dimes to select a child as a living symbol of the March of Dimes successful fight to save babies. They’ll be leading the way in WalkAmerica, the March of Dimes biggest and best known fund-raising event, to raise money to support research and programs to find the causes of premature birth.

In McMinnville, WalkAmerica will take place Sunday, May 4 at the county courthouse square in McMinnville. Join the Baines family when they walk and raise money to save babies.

Last year, more than 200 people walked in Warren County and raised over $39,000 to help save babies.

The 2003 national sponsors for WalkAmerica are CIGNA, Kmart, Famous Footwear, Butler GUM, Allied/North American and Discovery Health.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. For more information visit the March of Dimes Web site at www.walkamerica.org or call 1-800-525-WALK.

Baines named WalkAmerica ambassador
Zach Baines, son of Darrell and Daughn Baines, will be representing the March of Dimes in the Warren County area in 2003. Zach was chosen because he was born 12 weeks early but survived, thanks to March of Dimes support of Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Surfactant therapy.

Zach was born at the University of Arizona in Tucson where he weighed 1 pound and 13 ounces.