It's unimaginable for most. It's devastating and heartbreaking to those who experience it. But the truth of the matter is that 30,000 infants in this country die before their first birthdays. The causes vary but some of those tragedies can and should be prevented. Out of such a terrible loss, the loss of a baby born healthy, emerged one local mom on a mission to make improvements to infant health care.
Corinne McMurray is that mom, and along with her husband, they have started the first state chapter of a national organization known as The R Baby Foundation. Their passion for this cause honors their baby girl, Rhiannon, who contracted an undetected virus and died when she was just 9 days old.
The R Baby Foundation is a non-profit that works to raise money to improve pediatric - specifically, neonatal - care. In its first year, the Colorado chapter raised $40,000. The Colorado money went to The Children’s Hospital right here in our state to purchase new equipment and start a training program that will help emergency medical technicians open the airways of babies who are having difficulty breathing - more accurately and quickly.
This year the R Baby Foundation has two fundraising events planned: a golf tournament as well as their Second Annual Walk to Save Babies' Lives. Money raised at those events will help ensure the continuation of the training program. Additional goals include funding new research in the field of neonatal viruses and helping The Children’s Hospital develop a statewide 24/7 communication network so generalists and rural pediatricians can connect to the experts at the Aurora-based hospital.
What could be more important than championing for the best possible care for our youngest population? The answer is so very simple: providing support to the R Baby Foundation. And how can you do that? Again, it's pretty simple. Participate in the Second Annual Walk to Save Babies’ Lives on Saturday, Sept. 25, at City Park in Denver. Teams are forming now. The event is a "triple threat" of fundraisers with the walk as well as a kids’ fun run and family festival. In short, this is exactly the kind of event that earns the Macaroni Kid Broomfield stamp of approval. It's a day of FUN for the whole family. It includes all kinds of things for kids to do. It's all for a great and very important cause - and all the money raised helps families right here in our state!
For more information and to sign up to participate in these events, check out the Colorado chapter’s website at www.rbabywalkcolorado.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rbabycolorado or onTwitter at www.twitter.com/rbabyco.
