(Topeka, Kan., Oct. 31, 2011) – The March of Dimes Greater Kansas chapter has awarded a grant to the Stormont-Vail Foundation that is aimed at underserved maternal and child health needs of families here in Topeka. This program will establish a new innovative community-based project that employs strategies to help families have healthier parenting skills and healthier babies in Shawnee County and the surrounding area.
This grant is one of five that the March of Dimes awarded in pursuit of its mission to prevent birth defects and infant mortality.
"We will use the March of Dimes grant to meet our objective of providing mothers and babies with strategies for healthier parenting," said Heather Whitton, Development and Special Events Coordinator of the Stormont-Vail Foundation. "We are grateful to those volunteers who support the March of Dimes by participation in events like March for Babies and those who donate in other ways. Their participation and donations make this grant possible."
Stormont-Vail HealthCare is continually in the forefront of innovation in prenatal care and childbirth. The Stormont-Vail Neonatal IntensiveCare is the region's only Level III neonatal intensive care facility. It is staffed around the clock by four neonatologists, four neonatal nurse practitioners, and other specially trained nurses and clinical staff. In 2010, 500 premature and sick babies were given the chance of a better life because of the Stormont-Vail Neonatal IntensiveCare, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this past year.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs including research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. In 2003, they launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature births. For more information, visit the March of Dimes web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language web site at nacersano.org.
