VIDEO: March of Dimes

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- The launch of balloons highlighted Saturday’s event at the North Mississippi Medical Center Wellness Center.

It was part of Tupelo’s March for Babies affiliated with the March of Dimes.

Christy Whitley is a para-natal social worker in the neo-natal intensive care unit at NMMC. She says every year 15-million babies are born under the 37 week gestation period which is considered pre-mature.

“Mississippi has an “F” on the March of Dimes scorecard this year for being one of the highest in the nation for premature birth. And that’s why we’re here today to try to reduce those numbers, have healthier moms during their pregnancy and healthier babies to give each baby a healthy start,” says Whitley.

Several babies who were former patients at the NICU were recognized at the event, including Colton Griggs. Alice Griggs is Colton’s mother, who says her son was born at 25 weeks, and had several complications, but is now getting along just fine.

“He is hitting his milestones and we contribute that to the funding and the research done by March of Dimes for all the technology and the brightest scientists that they help fund,” says Griggs.

Selah Kay Creel was born with pulmonary hypertension.

“If we had not had the support of the NICU here at North Mississippi Medical Center and the support of the March of Dimes Selah Kate would not be here. About half the children with pulmonary hypertension die and so Selah Kate is one of the very blessed ones to still be here because of the March of Dimes and the support that they give and because of the NICU here at North Mississippi Medical Center,” says Creel.

Another success story is Hanley Johnson who was extremely small when she was brought to the unit.

“She weighed 15-ounces when she was born and she stayed in the NICU for 90-days, Tupelo NICU. She was the smallest baby to leave our local NICU she weighed 2-pounds and 15-ounces whenever she came home. Since then she’s met all of her milestones and she’s adjusting very well,” says Johnson’s mother.

Joseph Asher Dooley is another boy who was born very premature.

“He actually had a twin. We lost Colt after five days. Ash will be seven months old tomorrow. He is doing good he weighs 13-pounds,” says Dooley’s mother.

He has something in common with another pre-mature baby born in Tupelo back in 1935.

“If you’re born a little early it’s all right momma.”

Whitley says Elvis’s twin brother might have made it, if he was born today.

She says, many parents from surrounding areas bring their babies to Tupelo for the neo-natal intensive care unit at North Mississippi Medical Center.