This year the 7 counties of the Hudson Valley (Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster & Sullivan) will join together at their NEW March for Babies site named after March of Dimes founder, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) State Park in Yorktown Heights, centrally located right off the Taconic Pkwy with easy access from all counties in the Hudson Valley!
1 in every 10 babies is born premature. Premature birth is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 and every day in the U.S. more than 2 women die due to complications caused by pregnancy. These statistics are unacceptable. This year, March for Babies: A Mother of a Movement™ has a bold new vision. More than just a walk, it’s the entry into making a visible difference in the community now and for generations to come.
To join March for Babies on May 15th simply register at: www.marchforbabies.org/event/westchesterhudsonvalley
The Celebration will include:
- 3k scenic walk (turnaround at any time to come back to the festival site!)
- Activities & Entertainment:
- DJ Echo with Live Music!
- Superhero Sprint Race for kids 10 and under!
- Storm Troopers from STAR WARS 501st Legion
- Memory Butterfly Garden to honor & remember moms and babies
- Family Fun Zone with Games and Activities!
- Color Street Nail Station and our new Color Street “Never Finished Line”!
- Food Trucks including New England’s Finest Lobster Truck, Homestyle Bakery & Weenie Wagon!
- Baby Block and Level the Playing Field play and mission stations
- Performances from Dance Works
- Program Emceed by Susan Browning of WHUD, and much more!!!
March for Babies thanks their 2022 Sponsors to Date!
Thanks for all you do for moms and babies and let me know if you have any questions!
Here’s an interview from one of the teams in the March – Team Freemans
Family Team Story
I became involved in the March of Dimes after I lost my first son. He was stillborn in October 2016 at just 20 weeks gestation. It was my first pregnancy and up until about a week before I had been very cautious and guarded as I was fearful something would happen. I am not naive to the rising statistic of miscarriage – however I was not aware that stillbirth happens in 1 out of every 160 pregnancies. My heart was ripped out of my chest and I was not sure it would ever beat again. After months of battling severe anxiety and depression I decided to do something – to turn my loss into a gain for other mothers and babies. I researched and became more familiar with the March of Dimes – and realized they were doing the March for Babies walk close to my home and where I worked in the Hudson Valley. I signed up – and before I knew it I had reached my personal goal and decided to start a team. Team Freemans was able to raise $4,500 that first year – and consisted of 30 of my family members and close friends. We have been walking and fundraising for five years now and have raised upwards of $15,000.
Later that year – it felt like history was repeating itself. I was pregnant with another little boy and made it past the twenty week mark. However MOD would become a guiding resource yet again as I went into preterm labor at 24weeks 5 days. Our son Kyle Duane Freeman was born on August 19th, 2017 weighing 1lb 11oz and 11inches long. He spent 136 days in the NICU where he was cared for by the amazing doctors and nurses at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital @ Westchester Medical Center. There were many days I did not think my son would ever come home – on more than one occasion I prepared myself that he might not live. To my surprise – Kyle kept pushing forward, he fought for his life and he never gave up. He is the definition of strong – a true miracle that I watched grow before my eyes. Today he is a curious 4 year old who loves to learn. He goes to preschool and receives OT, PT and speech services and is catching up to his peers. He loves vehicles, outer space and playing at the playground. It is the joy of our life to watch him grow up and to see the world through his eyes.
This year we are honored to be chosen as Tops Ambassador Family for the 2022 Walk for Babies Event. We will be leading our team, Team Freemans again in memory of Baby Freeman and in honor of Kyle – our micro preemie who continues to amaze us each and every day! Both of my sons opened my eyes and helped me to be strong and advocate for them both. I will continue to support the March of Dimes as they do amazing works to help support mothers like me – and premature babies like my son.
Our Best,
the Freeman Family
