There are some instances when it’s good to be above the average. A grade on a test. A team’s final statistics — both academic and athletic. Then there are those times when above the average is not something to be proud of — but something to work toward decreasing. That’s the case when it comes to talking about premature birth in babies.

Each week in Missouri, 194 babies are born preterm — and 12 babies die each week before reaching their first.

The national average for prematurity is 11.9 percent — with the rate for St. Francois County at 12.6 percent.

The national average for infant mortality is 7 percent — with the rate for St. Francois County at 10.8 percent.

The goal with the March of Dimes March for Babies is to keep those numbers from rising — with hopes of eliminating the statistics all together in the future. For 70 years, the March of Dimes has worked to make sure all babies are born healthy. In those times when a baby is born prematurely, the organization steps in to help the family — and works to fund research to help ensure all babies will be born healthy.

The March for Babies will be on April 24 at Long Park in Farmington. Registration for the walk begins at 5 p.m., and the walk begins at 6 p.m.

Organizers are still looking for sponsors, teams, individual walkers and those wanting to make a donation. Mary McEntire and Mary Forest are co-chairpersons for this year’s event. There is also a new grant in the Southeast Missouri Division of the March of Dimes, named in recognition of McEntire for her work with the organization.

“Obviously, the numbers for St. Francois country are higher than the national average,” said McEntire, referring to the statistics. “In 2007 we raised $3 million in Missouri for the March of Dimes,”

She added that the March of Dimes gave over $4 million back to Missouri in 2007 which was used for research and distributed in community grants through county Health Departments and outreach programs such as SIDS, Smoking Cessation Programs, and the American Lung Association “to name only a few”.  

The goal for the St. Francois County walk is $40,000. Last week, Farmington Wal-Mart Super Center gave a donation of a thousand dollars for the walk. Austin Lee, Ambassador Child for this year’s walk, was there for the presentation with his mother, Angela. Austin weighed just one pound, 14 ounces when he was born at 29 weeks gestation. Today, he’s a three-year old boy who was recently released from his doctor’s care because of his progress.

“He’s our little miracle. Without the research done by the March of Dimes, I don’t think he would be here today,” said Angela during the kick-off for the walk.

For more information on how to participate, contact McEntire at 747-2074.

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