Landmarks Nationwide to Be Lit Pink & Blue;

Pink & Blue Campaign Bus Tour Hits the Trail on November 15

NEW YORK, NOV. 15, 2005 – More than 100 landmarks nationwide – including a replica of the Apollo Saturn V Rocket at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama – will be lit pink & blue as the March of Dimes observes the third annual Prematurity Awareness Day.

November is Prematurity Awareness month and will be recognized throughout the nation with rallies, expert panel discussions, and tours of neonatal intensive care units. In addition to the space rocket, Niagara Falls in New York; Hoover Dam on the Arizona-Nevada border; the skylines of Philadelphia and Chicago; state capital buildings; and governors' mansions will be lit pink and blue in honor of Prematurity Awareness Day. Also, nearly two dozen state or local government officials will issue proclamations designating November 15 as Prematurity Awareness Day and recognizing the serious crisis of premature birth.

"Prematurity is now the nation's leading killer of newborns," says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "It has now reached epidemic proportions – 499,008 babies were born premature in 2003, the most recent year for which we have final data. The health consequences for infant survivors can be devastating: cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and other neurological conditions. Our purpose today is to raise public awareness about prematurity, and to mobilize the political will to act."

Dr. Howse will hit the Prematurity Awareness Day Campaign trail in New York City on November 15, traveling in one of two specially-designed pink and blue buses that will visit Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. One bus will carry celebrities, civic and corporate leaders, and maternal and child health experts who will make stops at key locations to talk about the dangers of prematurity (birth at less than 37 weeks gestation) and what Americans can do to help prevent premature births.

The second bus will be filled with about two dozen parents of premature babies from across the nation. The parents met online through the March of Dimes online Share community, a virtual support-group where parents of premature babies share their stories, their triumphs, and their fears and learn from each other.

Following the bus will be a FedEx "Operation Special Delivery" truck carrying much- needed supplies for two metropolitan area hospitals serving women in need of prenatal care or families of premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. The truck will deliver clothing for pregnant women donated by Motherhood Maternity; toothpaste donated by Arm & Hammer; children's pajamas donated by CIGNA; prenatal multivitamins donated by Stuart; gift cards donated by Famous Footwear; women's deodorant donated by Arid; as well as other items donated by Procter and Gamble.

March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign national sponsors include CIGNA, FedEx, the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, and Motherhood Maternity. National Prematurity Awareness Month sponsor is MedImmune, Inc. Prematurity Awareness Month supporters include First Response and Arm & Hammer Oral Care.

The March of Dimes national Prematurity Campaign seeks to address the increasing rate of prematurity by raising awareness and funding more research to identify the causes of premature birth. A new educational public service advertising campaign entitled "I Want My 9 Months" urges women to take action before pregnancy by talking to their health care provider to assess their risk for having a premature baby.

March of Dimes and its grassroots supporters are calling on Congress to approve federal legislation that would expand research on prematurity and provide federal support for public and health professional education as well as health services related to prematurity. The legislation is the "PREEMIE" Act (S 707/H.R. 2861).

More information about the stops on the March of Dimes Third Annual Prematurity Awareness Day Bus Tour can be found at:

Number of Babies Born Prematurely Tops Historic Half Million Mark in U.S.
Pro Athletes Join March of Dimes for Prematurity Awareness Day
CBS News Healthwatch: Prematurity
St. Mary's Press Release
Borough of Brooklyn Press Release