2009 March for Babies

Leasa - posted on 03/08/2009 ( 3 moms have responded )

Hi everyone!!

I just wanted to let you all know that we lucky enough to be able to do something really cool this year! We are the Ambassador Family for the Amarillo Area March of Dimes. Our little preemie is doing great, so we're really proud to be able to show our appreciation to the March of Dimes!!!

Our daughter, Lillea, was born 11 weeks early in 2007. When we learned the instrumental role that the March of Dimes played in her healthy journey through her 61 days in the NICU, we decided that we wanted to get involved and boy, have we!

Last year, our family raised the most money among the Family teams for the March for Babies and I personally was the Top Walker! This year as the Ambassador Family, we are determined to accomplish that same goal and raise more money!!


Lillean Grace Salazar January 21, 2007

Lillea was 11 weeks early…that means that we missed nearly the entire last trimester. She was born at a whopping 3 lbs. 10ozs. (large for her gestational age), 15.5 inches long. She spent 1 week on a ventilator…I always wonder if anyone realizes exactly what that means. My baby was 8 days old before I heard her cry, gurgle, make noise when she ate, burp…anything. She was fed through a tube and her first feedings were about 2 milliliters each. We were only allowed to touch her every 3 hours (during feedings) and in the beginning, that was only long enough to check her temp and change her diaper. After a few weeks, we were able to start holding her during her feedings, but only twice a day. Lillea was nearly 3 months old before I was able to hold her whenever I wanted to…and that was when she finally came home with us.

The research and relentless work of the March of Dimes played an instrumental role in Lillea’s first days on this earth and most definitely the days since.

Being the Ambassador Family has been such an amazing experience for us. We have had the opportunity to meet so many people that have been through rough birth experiences. However, the March of Dimes has also played a role in healthy births too. When we explain all of the ways that the MoD has affected people, the immunizations, the research, the support…often people are pleasantly surprised. We have met people that have lost babies and children…and we’ve been told that we are an inspiration to people struggling through the NICU right now. That is the reason that we are doing this. Lillea is such an amazing example of a “success story” that we want everyone to see how amazing she is and have some hope that their experiences will also turn out well.


Lillean Grace Salazar January 24, 2009

Please let me know if there’s any more information that I can get you about getting involved with the March of Dimes! As parents of preemies, I imagine that there are some of you in the same boat that we are!

Thanks a bunch! Good luck with your itty-bitties!!

www.marchforbabies.org/lilleasmom

-Leasa, John and Lillea Salazar
March of Dimes 2009 Ambassador Family