January 19 - March of Dimes

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month  - A time to raise awareness of birth defects and promote healthy pregnancies.

A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother’s body. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.  Birth defects are problems that happen while a baby is growing during pregnancy. These problems can cause physical or mental disabilities, and in some cases, death. There are thousands of different birth defects. About 120,000 babies in the United States are born each year with a birth defect. The most common birth defects are heart defects, cleft lip and cleft palate, Down syndrome and spina bifida. While there’s been lots of research, we still don’t know the causes of some birth defects.


If a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her baby may have a birth defect. Some illegal drugs and some prescription drugs can cause birth defects, too. Also, if a woman gets certain infections during pregnancy, such as cytomegalovirus or a sexually transmitted infection, her baby may develop a birth defect.


Some birth defects are causes by genetic factors. The baby could get something from his mother, his father, or both parents that can cause a defect. Certain birth defects affect a baby’s body chemistry. These are called metabolic disorders. There are several steps you can take before and during pregnancy to help prevent birth defects. One important thing to do is have a medical checkup, or preconception visit, before getting pregnant.


Working with their partners, the March of Dimes strives to develop and implement local programs that will ultimately improve the health of babies. Through their network of chapters and volunteers, these programs reach over a million people across the country and Puerto Rico each year. March of Dimes provides information and services designed to prevent premature birth and birth defects and to promote healthy pregnancies.


Community grants are awarded annually to fund the best programs. Local programs like Centering Pregnancy®, group prenatal care, are focused on improving the availability and quality of health care. March of Dimes also supports services that help promote the health and well-being of women and couples before pregnancy to increase their chances of having a healthy baby.


Through NICU Family Support®, March of Dimes provides information and comfort to families coping with the experience of having a baby in a newborn intensive care unit (NICU). NICU Family Support complements and enhances family-centered care practices in partner hospitals, addresses the needs of families and provides professional development to NICU staff



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Donate to March of Dimes.

Volunteer opportunities with March of Dimes.

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Source: http://www.marchofdimes.com/ 

January 5 - Caps for Kids

Sometimes, hope comes from the simplest of things, such as a ball cap.  Sounds strange at first – the idea that a cap can give a child the hope and strength they need to fight cancer. But when that cap comes from one of their heroes, they realize that they are no longer alone in their fight.


Caps for Kids is an international 501(c)3 non profit organization with programs in more than 100 hospitals scattered throughout the United States and Canada. We are dedicated to giving caps signed by athletes, entertainers and other notable celebrities to children who are pediatric cancer patients.


To a child who has lost their hair due to the chemotherapy treatments, the caps help them establish a special bond with their caregiver/physician and their celebrity hero. We have found that many of the children garner strength from the autographed caps, and they feel as though their celebrity hero is right there with them fighting the battle against their illness.



Caps For Kids was founded in 1993 by Dr. Stephen Heinrich, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana and a clinical professor at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Heinrich was treating a young man with cancer, who was also an avid Auburn University fan. He gave his patient a hat autographed by Auburn University football coach Terry Bowden and his father, Florida State University football coach, Bobby Bowden. When Dr. Heinrich realized how happy a simple hat could make someone suffering from a life-threatening disease, he organized Caps For Kids to improve the spirits of young cancer patients nationwide.



Dr. Heinrich began to garner autographed hats and scarves from notable personalities to be given to the children with cancer that he treated. Publicity opened new avenues for acquiring hats and soliciting signatures. Dr. Heinrich was soon able to expand the program so that all children receiving chemotherapy for cancer at Childrens Hospital in New Orleans could participate.


Today, Caps For Kids exists at more than 100 hospitals in the United States and Canada.



Get Involved:

Donate to Caps for Kids.
 
Find a Caps for Kids chapter near you.
 
Register your school or workplace to host your own HAT DAY!

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Source:  Caps for Kids