Editorial
Front Page - Friday, March 5, 2010
March of Dimes making a difference in Chattanooga
David Laprad
Leslie Ladd is director of the Tennessee chapter of the March of Dimes; Dan Cobb is the chairman of the local chapter. Ladd, a Chattanooga native, was born prematurely, and says she feels fortunate to be working for the March of Dimes today.
- David Laprad
There are countless worthwhile causes in the world, but none are nobler than helping babies, says Dan Cobb, chairman of the board of the local chapter of the March of Dimes. While there’s no question Cobb is passionate about the mission of the nonprofit organization, he’s going to have to stir up the same zeal in the people of Chattanooga if he’s going to meet his goals for the organization, which include raising money and recruiting volunteers during tough economic times.
“Only two people work here,” he says of the nonprofit’s office in the building next to Niko’s Southside Grill. “And they’re responsible for raising a lot of money. They can’t do it alone, though, so one of my jobs is to make sure we have superior volunteers.”
Most people are aware of
at least one thing the March
of Dimes has accomplished throughout its long history. Founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938 and initially called the National Founda-tion for Infant Paralysis, it will always be remembered for funding the research that led to the development of the vaccine that wiped out the polio virus in the ’50s.
Today, the March of Dimes focuses on improving the overall health of newborns by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Unlike many charities, the March of Dimes does not give money directly to people in need. Instead, it gives the funds it raises to the universities, hospitals and other institutions that conduct the research that leads to new discoveries and treatments. “Many premature babies can’t produce enough surfactants in their lungs, which causes lung collapse and death. Research by the March of Dimes discovered this and the subsequent therapy,” Cobb says, offering an example.
Then there’s Phenylketon-uria (PKU), a disorder caused by the lack of an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase. Since the human body is unable to process phenylalanine, too much of it in an infant’s diet can lead to a build-up in the blood of substances that can gradually damage the baby’s brain. The March of Dimes helped to establish the routine PKU screening of newborns.
Regardless, one of the challenges the local March of Dimes faces is convincing people the money they donate won’t disappear into a national pot, but will benefit Chattanooga. “If you take everyone you know, the March of Dimes has helped one out of three of them,” Cobb says. “If you know to take folic acid during pregnancy to prevent birth defects, if you’ve used the nutritional guidelines for pregnant women and women wanting to get pregnant, and if you know consuming alcohol and smoking during pregnancy can cause premature birth and birth defects, the March of Dimes has helped you.”
Be that as it may, a lot of work remains to be done, including locally. Leslie Ladd, director of the Tennessee chapter of the March of Dimes, says one out of nine babies nationwide are born premature. In Chattanooga, one in six are born before 37 weeks of completed pregnancy.
“Each year, the March of Dimes grades each state on how it’s doing with infant health, and last year, Tennessee got an F,” Ladd says. “We’re working with the state government in Nashville to improve that, but at this time, there’s still a big need.”
Which brings Cobb back to where he started: money and volunteers. He and his team is already planning their biggest fundraiser of the year: the 2010 Signature Chefs Gala, to be held Nov. 13 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
“The easiest thing for us to do is think about who among the people we know might be a good candidate and invite them to come to an event,” Cobb says. “We’ll invite them to hammer in some nails and help build a set for the gala. If they come back, we’ve probably got them for good.”
Cobb says the pay for volunteers might be terrible, but the work is its own reward. “People feel good about doing something for a noble cause,” he says. “And they enjoy getting involved with others in the community.”
The organization’s next major fundraiser will be the Chattanooga March for Babies on May 2. Ladd says the event, which will help the March of Dimes continue to fight premature birth and other threats to the health of infants, presents a good opportunity for families to get involved as teams.
To learn about the event, visit www. marchofdimes .com, click “View All Chapters” at the top of the page, click “Tennessee,” locate “Get Involved” on the side menu and click “View All Events,” and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Chattanooga March for Babies.”
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