March for Babies marks 75 years

A large group of walkers representing the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus team joined in the March for Babies festivities at City Park on April 27.

The sun was out with comfortable temperatures for the crowd of nearly 5,000 that laced up their walking shoes to March for Babies on April 27 in Denver’s City Park.

Marking 75 years of work on behalf of babies, the March for Babies is an effort through the March of Dimes that funds important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives.

The University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the March of Dimes have worked together for years to ensure babies have a healthy start. Support and awareness of the work through that partnership continued this year as the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus joined with its partner hospitals as joint presenting sponsors for the April 27 event.

"This event raises critical dollars that help the March of Dimes continue its mission of helping babies be born healthy,” said Leanna Clark, vice chancellor, University Communications, who also served as March for Babies chairperson. “March for Babies also was an excellent opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our hospital partners and to raise overall visibility for the campus and the work we do here.”

March for Babies Director Jennifer J. Sorenson reports, “to date, the campus has raised $108,000 for this year’s March for Babies with 408 registered walkers connected to CU.” The CU participants formed teams with work colleagues, friends and family. Sorenson expects that later when numbers are final for this year’s event, the total dollars raised by CU participants likely will increase. She expects overall dollars raised to top $1 million.

Fundraising walks were held all across the country raising money to support programs in local communities that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. And it funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies. Supporters have been walking since 1970 and have raised $2 billion to benefit all babies.