WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – North Carolina was given a “D+” grade for its preterm birth rate, with 10.7% of births occurring before 37 weeks of gestation.
This is a statistic that the March of Dimes hopes to change through advocacy and policy change. March of Dimes conducts research and education on preterm birth, infant and maternal mortality, and birth defects.
The event hosted by the organization on Friday included a selection of Wilmington chefs from restaurants and bars including Osteria Cicchetti, Olivero, Mossy Craft Cocktails, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Butcher’s Market and Bluewater Waterfront Grill. Several people participated. Attendees could purchase tickets to try all the dishes and participate in a silent auction.
Overall, the event raised $155,000, surpassing last year’s $130,000. Event chair Erin Kirk said the money will go towards some of the research they are doing.
“All of that money goes toward a lot of the March of Dimes research and some of the policies that they address along with NICU family reunification,” Kirk said. “It’s a close-knit group, so we want to involve everyone.”
Ellison and Karen Clark were the ambassador family for Friday’s event. They wanted to encourage people to donate to the March of Dimes mission by sharing their stories.
“Our daughter was born 12 weeks early. She spent 105 days in our NICU, so we’re happy to share our story and share our journey with everyone here tonight. I’m so excited to share a little bit about everything I’ve been through along the way,” said Ellison-Clarke. “I did the math tonight, and in the two years since my daughter came home, she’s been to doctors and therapists 205 times. So that’s her pediatrician’s specialty. All the treatments she does. In physical therapy alone, she has spent 4,860 minutes in physical therapy over the past two years.”
Ellison said she also hopes to raise awareness about maternal health through conversations with participants.
“I had severe pre-eclampsia,” Ellison-Clark said. “Then I found out I had permanent kidney damage and would need to see a nephrologist for the rest of my life and future pregnancies would be impossible. So this is an important part and raising awareness I think that is also very important.”
Karen Clark, in particular, says she wants to expand men’s awareness of this issue and talks about it from a father’s perspective.
“It affects fathers as well. It’s hard to feel helpless and know there’s little you can do as a father,” Karen Clark said. “This is something I think all men should really understand and try to do what they can to reduce the impact on families in their communities.”
WECT’s Kim Ratcliffe hosted tonight’s event. For more information about March of Dimes, visit their website.
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