Every Baby Has A Story Campaign Tours Country for March of Dimes

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., OCTOBER 17, 2007 -- “Every Baby Has a Story,” a new grassroots and integrated media project celebrating babies -- those born healthy as well as those who need help to survive and thrive – has been launched by the March of Dimes.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to recognize the growing crisis of premature birth, and an opportunity for the March of Dimes to support and educate moms about how to give their babies a healthy start in life. 

“This storytelling project lets proud parents all over the country tell a special story about the baby they know and love,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes.  “Families can also express their hopes and dreams for a baby who has struggled to survive.”

A traveling “Every Baby Story Tour” motor coach will crisscross the nation on a challenging 16-city, 28-day road trip, collecting memorable, inspiring, and humorous baby stories from moms and dads and family members at each location.

The tour begins on October 17 in New York City and then proceeds to Washington, D.C. for the March of Dimes largest annual gathering of top volunteers, the Volunteer Leadership Conference. Other stops will include Atlanta, GA; Nashville, TN; Houston, TX; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; St. Louis, MO; and Philadelphia, PA before arriving back in Times Square in New York City on November 13.

Several celebrity stories have already been recorded:  Fred Savage, star of the show “The Wonder Years,” with his son Oliver; Julie Bowen, from television's “Boston Legal,” and “Ed”; Melissa Joan Hart, star of “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” series; Constance Zimmer, from the series “Entourage”; Kellie Martin, from the series “Life Goes On” and “ER”; Jodie Sweetin, from the show “Full House”; Diane Farr and Alimi Ballard from the show “Numbers.”

The web site, marchofdimes.com/everybaby, powered by Scrapblog.com, allows people who can't visit the motor coach on tour to add their stories via an interactive scrapbook page, including photos, text or video. The site features a map of the United States where all these great baby stories can be added.

Sponsors:
Farmer's Insurance, an “Every Baby Story Tour” sponsor, will donate $20 for every story told on the motor coach and agents will join the tour at select stops along the route.

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) generously donated a brand new motor coach to the March of Dimes “Every Baby Story Tour.”   Trailways Transportation System is donating all operating expenses and their network of Trailways' operators across the U.S. who will service the “Every Baby Story Tour” motor coach throughout its cross-country trip. United Motorcoach Association also helped with the operating expenses of the coach.  The association has been instrumental in coordinating the donation of the coach with MCI.

On the web site, Shutterfly.com, the leading online photo service, is offering a coupon for a free poster-sized print to anyone who donates $20 or more to the campaign.

Other corporate support for the “Every Baby Has a Story” campaign and Prematurity Awareness Month are Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute L.L.C., FedEx, CIGNA, Motherhood Maternity and First Response.  Media sponsors are American Baby, Working Mother and Babytalk. 

Partners in the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign are the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses.

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 of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth.  For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.

March of Dimes "Every Baby Story Tour" Schedule:
 

MARKET	DATE
Manhattan, NY Trenton, NJ	Wednesday, October 17
Washington, D.C.	Thursday, October 18
Greenville, SC	Friday, October 19
Tuscaloosa, AL	Saturday, October 20
Atlanta, GA	Sun. & Mon., October 21 & 22
Nashville, TN	Wednesday, October 24
Memphis, TN	Thursday, October 25
Houston, TX	Saturday, October 27
Phoenix, AZ	Tuesday, October 30
Los Angeles, CA	Thursday, November 1
Denver, CO	Sunday, November 4
Kansas City, KS	Monday, November 5
St. Louis, MO	Tuesday, November 6
Chicago, IL	Thursday, November 8
Indianapolis, IN	Friday, November 9
Philadelphia, PA	Monday, November 12

Manhattan, NY

Tuesday, November 13 Prematurity Awarenss Day