Ambassador Family
As you may know from reading some of my past posts, I’m very passionate about fundraising for causes close to my heart. I’m so honored that we were chosen to be the Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes because they support those causes, one of which is premature birth.
If you haven’t been a long-time reader, our identical twins were born at just 25 weeks, 5 days (a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks,) due to Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome and Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction, both conditions of the placenta where one baby does not get enough nutrients and the other gets too much. This resulted in an early delivery, and very sick, small babies. It was a very difficult time for our family, and as it got a little easier, I made a promise to help other families like ours.
A while back, I did Fundraising Fridays and you can read about both the Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation and The March of Dimes, and why I support them.
As I mentioned, our family has been chosen as the Ambassador Family for our local chapter of the March of Dimes this year. So, how did this happen? What does that really mean? Let me fill you in.
How It Started
After our twins came home from the hospital and had received such great medical care, I was looking for a way to give back and help others. I started this blog to reach out to other parents, but I wanted to do more, so I started doing some research to see how I could help some non-profit organizations.
I found a great way to help the TTTS Foundation that you can read about HERE, and then I came across the March of Dimes March for Babies.
I read through the March of Dimes mission statement, read about what they’ve done to fight premature birth, and what they are still doing to ensure all babies get the healthiest start in life. I knew I wanted our family to participate in the March for Babies.
As it was just out of Flu/RSV season, and the twins had been home from the hospital less than a year, I didn’t want to chance them getting sick. So, me, my husband, and my oldest went to the March for Babies to walk for our family.
Family Teams
I still remember seeing all the Family teams there with their matching shirts, baby names and stats on the back. Some were marching for babies just as small and sick as ours were when they were born. Others were marching in honor of the babies they had lost.
I also remember the Ambassador Family speaking before the March began. They shared their heartbreaking story, but you could still feel the hope and determination they had to help bring an end to prematurity and birth defects. I knew at that moment I wanted to share our story and help others too.
The next year, I started early and organized our Family Team. We set a fundraising goal, and recruited all our family and friends to help us. We raised over $1000!!!!
After the March, I wanted to be even more involved. I met with the Senior Community Director from the March of Dimes, and she helped me think of Fundraising ideas and told me about other programs I could be involved in.
I ran an Online Auction, solicited friends and family, and tried to recruit everyone I came across.
Our team grew, and so did our donation…we raised over $3000 this year at the March for Babies!!!
2016
After seeing our dedication and commitment to the March of Dimes, we were asked to be the Ambassador Family this year. We now get to share our story with everyone at the March for Babies! I want to provide hope and encouragement, along with awareness about premature birth and high risk twin pregnancies.
In addition to speaking at the March for Babies, we will be helping with other local events throughout the year to raise awareness and donations. We got our Family Picture taken, which will be used to promote the March for Babies, and I already had my first opportunity to share our story with some business leaders in the community. I went to a lunch meeting with the Senior Community Leader, and got to share my pregnancy and birth story. Everyone was so welcoming and receptive. It felt really good to be showing firsthand how the March of Dimes works to support families like mine. (In case you’d like one example, both my twins needed surfactants to help their lungs develop, which was invented with help from the March of Dimes.)
Later next month, we will be attending another couple fundraising events where we will also get to share our story.
Join Us
So, as you can see, I’m very excited about our role, not only to raise money to combat premature birth and birth defects, but to raise awareness about them too.
Premature babies need our help! I hope you’ll consider a donation to the March of Dimes, and I also hope you’ll consider starting your own Family Team and Marching for Babies!
Please donate on behalf of our Family Team at https://www.marchforbabies.org/shanneva
Thank you!
You are amazing lady!
Awe. thank you!
How exciting to be chosen! Your twins are adorable and I am so glad they are doing well. I was a preemie as well. 🙂 This is a great cause that means so much to so many people!
Thank you! Good to hear from a former Preemie! 🙂
Blessings for all you do. Are you a member of 1000 Voices for Compassion on FB? If not, do join us!!
No, I will have to check it out. Thank you!
I love that you’re an ambassador for March of Dimes! My first daughter had IUGR and nearly didn’t make it- such a scary time for us. I always try to participate in March of Dimes campaigns and regularly donate.
I hope your daughter is OK now. It’s wonderful to hear you also support the March of Dimes.
She is fine. Just small but incredibly mighty! 😉
Awesome!
Love this! I’m printing it off and putting it up at my office break room.
Awe. Thanks Nicole!
That’s great that you’ve raised so much money and were chosen as the ambassador family! You really are making a difference 🙂
Thank you so much Becky!
I am on board! My niece had failure to thrive in utero due to a genetic condition so this is a cause that is dear to my heart.
I hope your niece is doing OK now. Thank you for getting behind the cause!
You’re amazing!!
xo Bree
http://bree-west.com
This is great!!congrats! I will definitely donate.
Thank you so much!
Such an amazing cause! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you!
What an inspiring story. Best of luck with your fundraising campaign!
Thank you!
God bless you for “giving back” the way you do! I (as well as many other families out there) thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Thank you!
Wow, what an incredible story. I can’t imagine what that must have been like. What a wonderful cause to get on board with. I’ll be on the look out for the shop for a cause.
Thank you! Yes! It’s this Saturday at your local Macy’s.
Wow! What a wonderful story. You’ve done such great work. Keep it up!
Thank you!
I just love this so much! Your family is awesome! I didn’t know much about March of Dimes, but now I’ll definitely be doing more research.
Awesome! Thank you.
This is great and such cute photos, you have a beautiful family 🙂
Thank you!
Wow….I am sure you worked quite hard to raise over $3K. Doing that kind of work feels so rewarding, doesn’t it?
Yes! That’s the best part! 🙂
This is AMAZING! Congratulations! I loved reading your story! Keep up the great work 🙂
Thank you so much Sue!
You are crazy ambitious!! I love it! It feels so great to count your blessings and to give back whenever you can. I have a cousin who’s daughter was a preemie and they do the March of Dimes in New York. Crongrats on raising $1,000!!
Thank you Heather!
Well congratulations and all the best with this campaign!
Thank you!
Congratulations! What a cool way to be able to help people who are in similar–or the same–situation as you were. That’s such a hard thing to go through and I can imagine that any encouragement or support is so appreciated.
Thank you so much!
You guys will make the perfect Ambassador family! Love your heart, my friend
Thank you so much Cynthia! That means so much. 🙂
That’s awesome! Dedication and hard work pay off and for such a worthy reason. My little guy was ten weeks premature and fought like a true warrior to live! Nice post Shann.
Thank you so much! 🙂
What a beautiful family and story.
Thank you!
It is amazing that babies are able to survive at the young age. They are looking great.
Thank you!
Congrats on the ambassadorship. It sounds like you have a wonderful family. 🙂
Thank you so much Robin!
Being chosen as an ambassador means you have the power to inspire a lot of people. Good job! This is a great cause.
Thank you!
Such a wonderful story, what a beautiful family and thank you for making me inspired,
Thank you!
It’s such an amazing thing when you can share your story with other people in similar positions. You and your family are a wondering inspiration!
Thank you so much Sabrina!
So awesome you are helping with this. Amazing story.
Thank you!
Wow, you’re doing so much to support this charity. I may have to go to Macy’s this weekend!
Yes! You should!
What a beautiful organization March Dimes is. It reminds me when my preemie was born 12 years ago.
That’s wonderful. Hope your preemie is doing well. 🙂
Kudos to you for doing this despite being so busy with your boys. Congratulations also for being chosen to help raise awareness.
Thank you!
March of Dimes is a great organization. Congratulations on this awesome honor.
Thank you Natasha!
Sounds like a great cause! Your family is a wonderful inspiration!
Thank you!
I love that you have taken your family’s situation and turned it into a passionate learning experience for other mothers and families!
Thank you so much!
Congrats! What an honor. And I love that you are supporting such a great cause. Virtual big five!
Thank you so much.
You are an inspiration. Congrats!
Congrats to you!! This is very inspiring.. Keep it up 🙂
Thank you!
Such a great cause and Congratulations on being chosen to be a March of Dimes Family Ambassador! I’ll definitely be donating. Wish you and your family all the best.
Thank you so much!
Congrats, so exciting! I’m a big supporter of March of Dimes!
Awesome! So glad to hear it!
I attended a March of Dimes gala years ago. What a wonderful organization. It is also so commendable what you do and very inspiring. Thank you for what you do.
Thank you so much!