March of Dimes

EMAIL NEWSLETTER August 2008

Dear Richard, National Ambassador Visits White House March of Dimes 2008 National Ambassador, 6-year-old Catharine Aboulhouda of Allentown, Pennsylvania, met President George W. Bush in the Oval Office on July 21, 2008. During her meeting with President Bush, Catharine delivered the message that preventing preterm birth should be a national priority. The National Ambassador Family has taken this message across the country, speaking on behalf of the March of Dimes and its efforts to give every baby a healthy full-term start in life. Also joining Catharine in the Oval Office were her parents, Susan and Mike, and older brother Michael; and Kenneth A. May, Chair of the March of Dimes National Board of Trustees. March of Dimes Awards Eight Nursing Scholarships Eight outstanding registered nurses were awarded scholarships from the March of Dimes for graduate studies in the field of maternal-child nursing. The recipients were recognized for their dedication to maternal and infant health. Started in 1997, the March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarship program usually awards four scholarships annually, but this year, thanks to a generous contribution from Evenflo and Procter & Gamble, eight awards of $5,000 each were granted. "These nurses are examples of the vision and dedication of nurses all over the country who work tirelessly to improve maternal and infant health," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "The March of Dimes is proud to honor their achievements and to help them go on to make even greater contributions to their communities." To meet the recipients, click here. A Tribute to the "Father of Medical Genetics" The March of Dimes Foundation mourns the passing of Victor A. McKusick, MD, University Professor of Medical Genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a long-time advisor to the March of Dimes, and the award-winning "father of medical genetics," who died July 22 at age 86. A physician, scholar, teacher and mentor, Dr. McKusick was an international pioneer in research and clinical studies of inherited diseases. He had long been acclaimed as the founding father of the modern specialty of medical genetics -- that is, the application of genetic science to medicine -- a branch of medicine that didn't even exist when he graduated from medical school in 1946. SPOTLIGHT: Zack Brings Joy to Everyone Dear March of Dimes, My name is Bob Stein, and together with my son Zack, we raised $3,600 for March of Dimes March for Babies this year. Why do we do it? Why do we work so hard? Because Zack, now 13, has come so far in life despite being born too soon. Let me tell you about Zack. Zack was born 5 1/2 weeks early. He spent a week in a newborn intensive care unit. He never learned to crawl (he rolled a lot!). He has emotional and developmental problems. In his life, he ... Has donated food for the poor. Collected cell phones for families in need. Brings joy to everyone who meets him and is very empathetic to those less fortunate. Regards, This online newsletter is sponsored by the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization. The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Visit marchofdimes.com to read more. Share your comments, suggestions and feedback on this newsletter by emailing newsletter@marchofdimes.com. If you feel you received this newsletter in error, please unsubscribe here. If you prefer to stop receiving all communications from the March of Dimes, please click here. © March of Dimes Foundation, 2008 March of Dimes 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605