Gloucester Township Man Leads March of Dimes Effort to Improve Health of Babies

More than 11,000 of New Jersey babies will be born premature this year, and business leader Vincent Cieslik is working with the March of Dimes to change this.

Vincent Cieslik, from Capehart Scatchard in Mount Laurel, NJ knows how important the March of Dimes mission is to families in Gloucester County. As a father of a daughter who suffered from pre-natal complications, he has taken on the role of 2015 March for Babies Chair to raise awareness and important funding to help babies born prematurely or with birth defects. Cieslik has made the commitment to raise $30,000 in new revenue as part of the overall goal of $170,000.

March for Babies, the March of Dimes largest fundraiser, helps fund lifesaving research and educational programs aimed at helping moms have healthy babies. Last year in Gloucester County, more than $162,000 was raised. This year, March for Babies Chair Vincent Cieslik will focus on recruiting new companies to participate and lead the community in making a difference for the health of moms and babies.

“I am very excited to work with the March of Dimes on this campaign. From my own personal experiences, and those of my friends and family dealing with the challenges presented by pre-birth complications and premature birth, I cannot think of a more important cause than our babies. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in this country. As a community, that is simply unacceptable and it needs to change, and change needs to start now with our actions and our efforts,” said Cieslik. “Capehart Scatchard will be sponsoring the March of Dimes Walk in Gloucester County. We will call upon other local businesses for their support in the coming months. It takes leaders in our community working together to ensure more moms have healthy pregnancies. We should all share in the cause to see a day when fewer families suffer the emotional, psychological, and financial distress of premature birth.”

Gloucester County residents can sign up today at www.marchforbabies.org and start a team with co-workers, family or friends. Last year, more than 1800 people attended the event -- which will be held this year on Sunday, April 26th at Rowan University.

“We’re so excited to have Vince Cieslik on board to help us at a local level,” said James Young, State Director for the New Jersey March of Dimes Chapter. “His passion for the cause and commitment to helping our babies will be a huge driving factor in the success of our event. We are grateful for his commitment.”

The 2015 March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, and top sponsors Famous Footwear, Macy’s, Cigna, United Airlines and Mission Pharmacal and locally by PSEG, UnitedHealthcare, Virtua Comcast NBCUniversal, New Jersey Monthly, Atlantic City Electric, Capehart Scatchard, Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce, South Jersey Industries, Kennedy Health System, New Field Bank, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, PBF, Century Savings, Deptford Sign-a-Rama, and Columbia Bank .