believe explore care support champion help we save babies 2005 Annual Report Table of Contents I help I care Officers’ Letter ................................. 2 Kevin Jones, March of Dimes Cheri Johnson, RN, Volunteers ........................................ 4 volunteer and father of a provider of women’s premature baby page 4 and infants’ services Community Services ........................ 8 in Baton Rouge page 8 Research ........................................ 12 Education ...................................... 16 Advocacy ....................................... 20 I explore I believe Fundraising .................................... 24 Donors ........................................... 29 Dr. Stephen J. Lye, researcher Thalia, top Latina actress studying the causes of and recording star, featured premature birth page 12 in a bilingual public education Financials ....................................... 47 health initiative page 16 Boards, Committees and Chapters ................................. 50 The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by I champion I support preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Dede Alpert, former Joe Hale, lifelong March California State Senator of Dimes volunteer and and advocate for expanded fundraiser page 24 Cover photo: newborn screening page 20 Chloe, born January 31, 2006, at 24 weeks, weighing 1 lb., 7 oz. Officers’ Letter “Where cures begin” The March of Dimes today is made up of tests. As a result of The importance of community was driven home to every September 16, 2005, marked the culmination of more people who have come together to make these efforts, many American as hurricanes destroyed parts of the Gulf than a year of celebratory events and activities honoring the future better for babies. They are states took steps toward States and displaced thousands of families, pregnant the 50th Anniversary of the Salk polio vaccine. On scientists pursuing the causes of premature testing for 29 treatable women and newborns. March of Dimes presence in the that evening, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies birth; outreach workers connecting metabolic conditions, NICU at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge enabled dedicated its North Building to the volunteers of the women to prenatal care; volunteer leaders as recommended by the us to help more than 100 sick and premature babies March of Dimes. securing donations for a fundraising event. March of Dimes. By July who were evacuated from New Orleans. Our staff and This annual report is dedicated to those 2005, 23 states screened volunteers distributed infant formula, diapers, clothing Following the victory over polio in 1955, Jonas Salk who helped us accomplish so much in for 20 or more treatable and vitamins to hurricane victims in shelters, hospitals aspired to build an institution that would foster the 2005 — to the people who save babies. conditions. These states and towns in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. work of science in service to humanity, a place “where represent approximately cures begin.” Funding from generous March of Dimes Together, we delivered a year of solid 38 percent of all live births As the region rebuilds, together, we will continue to support volunteers and donors helped make Salk’s dream a reality financial results. WalkAmerica® surpassed in the United States. women, babies and families who have lost access to basic and ground was broken for The Salk Institute in 1961. the $100 million mark, generating $102 health services. A major grant from the U.S. Department of million. Total public support and revenue Together, we took on the growing Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health enabled Over the years since then, March of Dimes volunteers was $228.5 million, an increase of $4.1 challenge of premature birth us to launch health education and prenatal care outreach and Salk Institute researchers together have fostered the million over 2004. Expenses were carefully which now affects more than 500,000 services in Louisiana. Under the leadership of board member legacy begun with the victory over polio. As we move controlled. We increased our mission- babies each year. In addition to funding Greg Gumbel, we have created a Hurricane Assistance Fund into the future, it is these committed individuals and related grants and awards by 6.3%, while $24.6 million in research related to infant to purchase specially equipped mobile medical units that their successors who will continue to be the hope for total expenses grew by less than 1%. health and development, we created a will bring prenatal and well-baby care, including doctors, generations of children to come. “Hope lies in dreams,” new Prematurity Research Initiative and warning signs of preterm labor and nurses and medical supplies, to women wherever they are. said Dr. Salk, “in imagination and in the courage of those Together, we celebrated the 50th awarded six grants totaling $2.4 million. the importance of prenatal care. With who dare to make dreams into reality.” anniversary of the Salk polio vaccine These grantees are studying the causes funding from the Johnson & Johnson In these sobering times, we must remember that being declared “safe, effective and potent” of preterm labor. We also convened a Pediatric Institute, we hosted 150 grand behind every statistic is a life — a baby whose future on April 12, 1955. We marked this great national symposium on prematurity, rounds training sessions for 20,000 hangs in the balance. In these lives, together, we scientific victory with an exhibit at with funds from the Lehman Brothers health professionals on topics related to find cause to carry on our fight to save babies. the Smithsonian Institution’s National Foundation, to encourage scientific prematurity, including smoking cessation. Museum of American History and special experts to identify novel approaches events at the National Press Club and to solving this complex puzzle. We expanded our service to families the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential with a baby in a neonatal intensive Library and Museum. The Salk Institute We launched a new public health care unit (NICU). March of Dimes From left: ® for Biological Studies, built with millions campaign featuring Latina celebrity specialists at 23 NICU Family Support Dr. Richard Murphy, of dimes, dedicated its North Building Thalia that helps women learn how to sites provide information and comfort Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President President and CEO, The Salk Institute; to the March of Dimes as a permanent reduce their risk of having a premature to 15,250 families. More than 58,000 Dr. Peter Salk, son of symbol of the power of volunteer action. baby. Over the year, more than 12 people also received information and Jonas Salk; Dr. Howse; million women of childbearing age were support from the March of Dimes NICU James Sproull Together, we fought for expanded reached with this message and other Web site and shareyourstory.org, our access to lifesaving newborn screening educational information, including the online community for NICU families. James E. Sproull, Jr., Esq., Chairman of the Board The Salk Institute alight for the 50th Anniversary celebration 2 marchofdimes.com Officers’ Letter 3 Kevin Jones A caring Houston dad, successful CEO, and Army veteran talks about having a premature son and how that frightening experience affected his life. In 2003, his son, Kevin Christopher, was born weighing just over a pound, spent 79 days struggling to survive in neonatal intensive care, and miraculously went home three weeks before he was due to be born. In his own words, Jones tells about serving as a local Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes chapter in Houston, spreading awareness of premature birth, I help and the ultimate satisfaction of being “just plain Dad.” Your son Kevin is 3 years old. How has premature birth How’s he doing? changed your life? Awesome. He’s very healthy now. My wife, Regina, and I thought we He’s in school. He has no physical or were living the ‘American Dream.’ I Kevin mental effects from his premature birth. was the second of my family to graduate Christopher Every day, we count our blessings. from college. She was a lawyer. I had at 2 weeks old started my own company. We thought there’s nothing we couldn’t do; nothing So you and your wife became What were your thoughts when you we couldn’t achieve — until the day Kevin March of Dimes volunteers? first heard you were having a son? came 15 weeks too soon. It’s a humbling Every man’s dream, having a experience to have a premature baby. Not We became Houston’s Ambassador son! Someone to carry on the everything is in your control. There’s a Family. We made personal appearances. name; of course Jones isn’t all that sense of helplessness. And you know how We spoke at WalkAmerica, took Kevin unique, but it was still exciting. bleak it is when the doctors tell you about with us in a stroller. Last year, we the horrible things that can go wrong. For walked as a Family Team. We thought 79 NICU days, there was little we could we should let other folks know that you The day Kevin was born? do but be there and hold Kevin’s hand. can make it through premature birth. It Kevin was our first child, so we didn’t was really tough, more stressful than know what to expect. I always thought, any experience I ever had in the Army. you get pregnant, you wait nine months When Kevin finally came home, and you have a baby. Well, Kevin’s birth that must have been a joyful day. You have a new baby now? was a little bit different. When he was It was. But it wasn’t over by a long born, he was the size of a soda can. shot. We had nine medicines, an Yes. Dylan’s a year old. He was born full oxygen machine and a monitor.