EAST HARTFORD -- The rainy start to Sunday morning did not stop hundreds from coming out to this year’s March of Dimes March for Babies event in East Hartford.
The walk aims to not only bring attention to supporting families who go struggle with health issued with newborns and infants but to also raise money to help with research on prevention for childhood problems.
“The boys were in the NICU for 6 weeks, they were eight weeks early,” Coventry resident Lauren Wardwell said.
Wardwell and her families are one of the many families that participated in the march this year. According to the CDC, preterm birth and low birth weight accounted for about 17 percent of infant deaths in 2015. The money raised at the march will be put towards prevention research.
“I have five-year-old twin boys that were born at 37 weeks, they had a great outcome and so I like to give back to the community and hope that everyone has the same outcome that I did,” Tracey Scraba said.
Some said they came out to support some they know while others came to support overall. Wardwell said either way families like hers appreciated the turnout.
“And it’s inspiring, I mean you get to meet different moms and families that have gone through this and it’s really nice to hear other people’s stories, I mean every story is different,” Wardwell said.
Event organizers are hoping to raise up to $600,000.
