2018 March For Babies Coming To Washington Nationals Stadium

WASHINGTON, DC - From March of Dimes: Thousands of families and local business leaders will join come together on April 22 at Washington Nationals Stadium for the 2018 March for Babies, presented by Pepco Holdings, an Exelon company. March for Babies is the nation’s oldest fundraising walk, which helps more babies survive and thrive.

This year’s Greater Washington, D.C., Area Ambassador Family is the Steele Peverill Family. Lisa and Todd Peverill were excited about becoming parents again after 19 years. Baby Steele was excited too – considering Lisa dilated early on and went into labor at 22 weeks. Fortunately, they were able to push the pregnancy for another couple of weeks. Steele was born at only 24 weeks gestation at 2 pounds, 1 ounce and was only given a 10% survival rate. He spent 91 days fighting for life in a hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Today, Steele is now 5 years old and stronger than ever. The Peverill family is dedicated to making sure other parents are able to know the joy of a healthy child.

“Pepco has partnered with the March of Dimes for more than a decade because our first priority is to strengthen our communities, and we can only do so if we strengthen children and families,” said Dave Velazquez, President and CEO of Pepco Holdings and the 2018 Washington, D.C., March for Babies chair. “I am honored to serve in this important role raising awareness and urgently needed funds for the March of Dimes’ mission: preventing birth defects and premature birth.”

On-site registration begins at 8 a.m. with the three-mile walk kicking off at 9 a.m. Participants can sign up today at marchforbabies.org and create a team with co-workers, family, or friends; or make a donation to help more babies get a healthy start in life.

March for Babies is a memorable and rewarding event for the whole family celebrating and honoring children and parents who experienced the NICU or special care nursery. We will recognize these families throughout the day with a Superhero Sprint for kids, complete with a purple cape, a symbolic lei for mom and dad, and loads of fun in the kids’ zone. In addition, we’ll be adding to the fun with a live deejay and free breakfast and lunch sponsored by Safeway and Subway.

This year, participants will again have the opportunity to walk through our Memory Mile and visit our unforgettable March for Babies Memory Garden. Those who have experienced loss will find a heartfelt way to remember their baby by visiting our butterfly garden.

Premature birth is the leading cause of death among babies in the United States. It affects about 380,000 babies – that’s 1 in 10 -- born each year, including approximately 1,059 in the District of Columbia. Funds raised by March for Babies in Washington, D.C., support the March of Dimes programs that provide comfort and support for moms and babies as well as innovative research to find the unknown causes of premature birth and birth defects.

The March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. By lobbying for policies to protect them, working to radically improve the healthcare they receive, pioneering research to find solutions to the toughest problems and empowering families with the knowledge and tools to have healthier pregnancies, March of Dimes builds on an 80-year legacy of impact and innovation to support every mom and every baby. Visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit peristats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

The 2018 March for Babies is sponsored nationally by Kmart, Famous Footwear, Macy’s, HCA, Cigna, Pampers and regional sponsor Publix Super Markets, Inc. In our community, March for Babies is sponsored by Pepco Holdings, BGE, Safeway, Subway, Washington Informer, WTOP and Washington Business Journal.

Image via Shutterstock / noBorders - Brayd