Four and a half years ago, my life shattered in an instant. I was a happy mother of two little boys only eighteen months apart. My youngest, Nash, was just about to turn six months old, and I was finally settling into my life with two babies. On July 1, 2008, Nash started having trouble breathing, was rushed to the hospital, and passed away a few short hours later. It was soon discovered that he had been suffering from an undiagnosed heart condition, which caused his heart to become enlarged, and eventually not be able to pump the way it was supposed to.
In the last four and half years, our family has worked hard to put our lives back together, piece by piece, knowing that we will never truly be whole again. We’ve come up against many stumbling blocks on our path of grief, but have also found some rays of light. One of those rays of light came in 2009, when a great friend invited us to walk with her Family Team in the March for Babies event in Dallas. She explained how the raised funds support important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives. And this became my light bulb moment.
Was it really possible that I could be a part of an organization that funds research that could help find cures and screenings that could save babies’ lives? Could I really be instrumental in keeping other parents from having to endure the heartbreak of saying good-bye to their child? Could I share my story with grieving parents, to assure them that they are not alone? The answers were immediately evident: yes, yes, and yes.
March of Dimes has been a sign of hope for so many families for so many years. Because of this organization, polio has been eliminated from our country, preterm babies’ lungs can be developed sooner, and newborn screenings have become a routine part of every baby’s first days in the hospital. What better way to give back than to become a small part of it?
Every Family Team has a reason for joining the March For Babies – the influence of a friend, a co-worker, a family member, or their own child. Walking among the thousands of people on the day of the March is humbling and inspiring. But being a part of the “behind the scenes” is even better. By being a member of the Family Teams Committee, not only do I raise money for my own team, but I get to help other groups that are eager to be a part of this experience.
March of Dimes NEEDS real people, with real life experiences to make the 2013 March For Babies an even bigger success than in years past. There is so much that needs to be done leading up to the big event. Imagine the satisfaction of seeing all of your hard work pay off as you influence other people to save the lives of our littlest Texans.
Family Team Heart's Content at the Dallas March for Babies in 2012
Written by: Tracy Sievers, Dallas Family Team Heart's Content
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