March of Dimes 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know, Meredith is our little miracle. Born too soon because of an infection I contracted when I was pregnant(we think but still don't know for sure), she arrived in this world at 33 weeks.

Living in Italy at the time all the doctors told us before she arrived is that she probably was not going to make it. If she did make it she would have a number of health problems. We were expecting the worse. What followed were the worse and longest 7 weeks in our lives. But...Meredith was a fighter. She didn't give up and by the grace of God she pushed through and is now a happy, healthy, normal 3 1/2 year old.

We didn't have a wonderful organization like March of Dimes there with us in Italy, so far away; to help us get through the situation we were in. I often wonder how it would have been different if we would have been in the United States. I don't know this. I do know that now that we are back in the United States and we want to help. No one should have to go through what Meredith went though and what we went though as a family. Unfortunately, things happen that are out of your control. Our birth story has changed our lives forever.

We want to do our part to help families and babies like Meredith that find themselves in the same situation. That is why we are supporting the March of Dimes again this year by fundraising and walking in the March of Babies on April 30th.

We would love it if you could join us in the walk to support this wonderful cause.

If you can't walk with us, please help by donating to our team. This link will direct you to our March of Dimes website.

Thank you for helping us give all babies a healthy start!

With all our Love,

The Richards Family

Matt, Courtney, Nolan, Meredith, and Liam
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The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Your gift will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.