March of Dimes gears up for annual fundraising event at Town Square

By Paul Takahashi

Monday, April 18, 2011 | 1:55 p.m.

March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that helps families with premature babies, has selected Lily Gandy as its 2011 ambassador child for Southern Nevada to showcase its upcoming March for Babies event.

Lily, now a healthy 3-year-old, weighed just 2 pounds, 9 ounces when she was born by emergency C-section more than two months early. Instead of going home after a couple of days, Lily stayed 41 days in the neonatal intensive care unit at the St. Rose Dominican Hospital’s Siena Campus because she had difficulties eating and breathing.

“When Lily was born, a moment that was supposed to be the happiest time in my life turned into the most frightening,” her father Chris Gandy said in a statement.

Lily underwent surfactant therapy, which involves using lubricant developed by a March-of-Dimes-funded researcher that helps premature babies breathe. It was because of this technology that Lily survived, her parents said, explaining their support for the national organization.

“We are honored to be a March of Dimes Ambassador Family,” the Gandys said in a statement. “We want to support other families who have struggled, are struggling or someday may struggle with the birth of a preterm baby.”

According to March of Dimes, more than 5,300 babies are born prematurely in Nevada each year. While the rate of premature births has declined, the United States has one of the highest rates among industrialized countries, according to the March of Dime’s 2010 health report card.

To help raise funds to continue its research, March of Dimes is hosting its national March for Babies in 900 communities across the country on May 7. The local chapter is inviting residents to Town Square, 6605 S. Las Vegas Blvd., at 7 a.m. to be among the 7 million people marching that day.

“March for Babies is a great combination of doing something that’s fun and doing something that’s important,” Lily’s mother Deborah Gandy said in a statement. “We invite all Southern Nevada families to join us in walking together for stronger, healthier babies.”

Last year, the Gandys raised more than $1,800 for March of Dimes. This year, they are hoping to exceed that amount.

“The fact that Lily has grown into this vibrant, loving child is a testament to her will and the March of Dimes ability to truly improve the health of babies,” Chris Gandy said. “That's what motivates us to tell our story and help raise money for March for Babies."

The funds raised will support Nevada Chapter grants, NICU Family Support, Centering Pregnancy and other programs. For more information about the March for Babies event, visit www.marchofdimes.com or www.nacersano.org.