Two proud, loving parents watched their
blond-haired, blue-eyed, laughing little
girl play at the park Saturday morning.
What makes this scene different from any other day at the park is that Cheryl and Steve Brown almost did not have 4-year-old Hallie. She was born six weeks premature after Cheryl spent almost three months in the hospital.
What also made this scene different is the Browns were joined by thousands of Lubbock residents who gathered together for a 6.5-mile walk to raise money for research on the causes and cures of prematurity and birth defects in the annual March of Dimes.
"The March of Dimes is a valuable help organization with the mission of preventing birth defects and infant mortality," said Delia Case, executive director of the Northwest Texas March of Dimes. "It's an exciting day. We have this campaign beginning in January, and today is the celebration day."
Case estimated between 2,500 and 3,000 walkers woke with the sun Saturday to start at Maxey Park and walk through Lubbock. They were celebrating the many months spent raising money to fund research, education, community services and advocacy; for the Browns, they were celebrating their family.
"We're here just because we don't want other people to go through what we went through," Steve said.
The Browns were not the only people at the walk with close ties to the problem of prematurity.
"My nephew was just recently born; he was born prematurely," Texas Tech student Jokari Davis said. "I figured it would be a good reason to come out here today."
The freshman general business major from Canadian said she believes the problem is getting more serious, and what the March of Dimes accomplished is important in alleviating the problem.
Irma Sanchez sees the effects of premature babies and birth defects every day. She was part of a group from the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The members sported camouflage shirts that read, "Fighting the war against birth defects."
"It is close to our hearts because that's what we deal with on an everyday basis," she said.
Randy Rushing, sponsor of the National Generosity Society at McKenzie Junior High School, was at the event with a group of students.
"It teaches them about volunteerism and makes them aware of the need for money for research and other things the March of Dimes supports," he said. "The kids like meeting with other kids, other people, and seeing the city of Lubbock come together."
Vickie Bennett was in the crowd for several reasons. She was coordinator of the group from Cox Communications and is president of the March of Dimes Board of Directors. She said she recognizes the importance of the fund raising.
"It's important that we're all here today because this year, 200,000 babies will be born prematurely, some with birth defects, some so tiny they can't even cry," she said. "We don't hear about it in the news because they're born one at a time. Because they're born one at a time, it's a national tragedy that we don't even know about."
Ricky and Rhonda Green turned out with a group from PNB Financial. They also had more than one reason for being there.
"We're here to support the March of Dimes," Rhonda said.
"And to have fun," Ricky chimed in.
They also had a more personal reason for being at the walk.
"We have two kids, and we also have a granddaughter, and I've also been acquainted with a man for about 22 years whose wife was helped through polio when she was a small child," Ricky said.
The day was especially sweet for the Browns, who enjoyed the opportunity to be out in the sun and playing in the park with their daughter - the same park Cheryl's window overlooked during her 89-day stay at Covenant-Lakeside.
Hallie spent her days watching the park and the people in it, walking and playing with their children, she said, and hoping for the day she would get to do that.
To make the day doubly special, it was the Browns' anniversary weekend, Cheryl said. They were usually out of town for the event, but not this year.
"I've been looking forward to this," she said.
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