“Raising awareness of premature birth is the first step to defeating it.”
A quote from the president of the March of Dimes, Dr. Jennifer L. Howse. November is Prematurity Awareness Month, an awareness month of which most people are not actually very aware. An estimated 15 million babies are born prematurely each year, and unfortunately, more than one million of those babies do not survive.
While the entire month of November is dedicated to premature awareness, Saturday the 17th, the fourth annual World Prematurity Day will be observed. This day is recognized globally, with various events and fundraisers happening across the county. “Many organizations in the U.S. and worldwide conduct advocacy, education and awareness events in their communities on World Prematurity Day,” (World Prematurity Day, online).
The Facebook page World Prematurity Day has updates on volunteer opportunities, family stories and testimonials, an interactive map and much more. Social media campaigns for premature births are highly recognized and encouraged. Hashtags to use for photos or any type of social media post are #givethemtomorrow and #worldprematurityday.
Image via Pinterest
Actress and artist Hilary Duff is an avid supporter of the March of Dimes and the foundation’s awareness campaign. The March of Dimes has been around for about 80 years now and was founded to help moms and babies. Their website, https://www.marchofdimes.org/index.aspx, is full of advice, articles, research and opportunities to donate your time or money. They have information and resources on pregnancy, babies, complications and losses.
There are several ways to get involved, even if it is just by simply using a hashtag. Premature births can be tragic or miraculous. While November is dedicated to the issue, we should remember and recognize prematurity throughout the entire year. There are several ways to stay involved, and the March of Dimes is not the only organization dedicated to helping families and premature births. Visit your local hospitals, women’s centers or other organizations/foundations on ways to help on a more local level.