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Reminder Assistant Editor AGAWAM On April 19, the Jurasz family will walk for the third time in the March of Dimes Pioneer Valley March for Babies in the hopes of finding a cure for premature births. As a testament to this family's active role within the March of Dimes, Massachusetts Chapter and three-year-old Kyle Jurasz's triumph over his premature birth, the Jurasz family will lead the hundreds of other families and friends as the ambassador family for the 2008 walk. March 2005 While pregnant with her first child in 2005, Heidi Jurasz recalled her baby as a "kicker" always active inside her belly until the sixth month of her pregnancy. Three months away from her June 11 due date, Jurasz said she began to exhibit signs of preeclampsia a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy such as high blood pressure, facial swelling headache and spots behind her eyes. Jurasz said she was most alarmed, however, by her baby's sudden inactivity. On March 19, 2005, Jurasz was taken to Baystate Medical Center due to her skyrocketing blood pressure and her baby's dipping heart rate. Jurasz said she and her husband Craig were told that for the safety of her and the baby she must deliver by C-section immediately. "The whole time I kept thinking I was dreaming. This is not how I was supposed to have my baby," she recalled while in labor. Their son, Kyle David Jurasz, was born at Baystate Medical Center on March 20, 2005 over 70 days prior to the due date weighing one pound, 12.8 ounces. Rushed to Baystate's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Jurasz said she and her husband were not even given the opportunity to hold their son. He was placed on C-pap (for oxygen) and a pic-line (for intravenous nutrients). She added that they were finally able to hold him when he was 10 days old. "They [the doctors] really didn't know whether he would survive or not," she recalled. Jurasz explained that a blood clot in her placenta was "cutting off his room to grow inside." During Kyle's 75 days in the NICU, Jurasz explained that she gained exposure to the March of Dimes, as well as a thorough understanding of how the organization is currently working to find a cure for premature births. After over three months in the NICU, Kyle was finally able to go home, weighing four pounds, eight ounces. March of Dimes Since his birth, Jurasz said she has become an active member in the March of Dimes, Massachusetts Chapter. Her extensive involvement has recently made her a board member of the Massachusetts Chapter. "Today, one in eight babies in the U.S. is born prematurely," Jurasz said. "This number is increasing at an alarming rate. Many causes [of premature births] are still unknown but March of Dimes conducts research to find these answers so that every baby will have a healthy start." Jurasz explained that the "Kyle's Kickers" a name born from his athleticism in the womb and while in the NICU team has walked in the March for Babies for the past two years. When asked how she felt about being the ambassador family for the family's third walk this year, she said, "It's a huge honor and really nice to be asked." Kristin Introvigne, assistant community director for the Western Massachusetts Division of the March of Dimes, said the Jurasz family was the logical choice as the ambassador family for the 2008 March for Babies because of their overwhelming support for the cause. In addition to her role as a board member, Jurasz has also taken on an active fundraising campaign at her workplace Jurasz has been a paraprofessional at the Agawam Early Childhood Center (ECC) since 2004 for "Kyle's Kickers" and for the March for Babies. During the month of March students at ECC were challenged to bring in as many coins as they could to raise funds for the March for Babies "Dimes for March" ECC fundraiser. Last Thursday the students were honored during an ice cream social for their efforts, which raised $502.78, surpassing their goal of $500. Liz Zerra, a teacher at ECC, whose classes raised 75 percent of the total funds, attributed her students' success to the time they took to discuss the cause. She explained that each day the class would speak collectively about ways to find or earn loose change such as searching their pockets or returning recyclables. Zerra noted that the fundraiser also coincided with the math curriculum learning about coin values and counting money. "This is just to let them know that in a little way we can all make a difference," Zerra said. The Future Kyle is now a student at ECC and has made significant developmental progress, Jurasz said. She explained that he is still small in size but with the help of Early Intervention Services, Kyle has been able to "meet developmental milestones." "It [this experience] is really something that's changed my life completely," Jurasz said. "I found strength from him." When asked if she and her husband were considering having any more children, she said they have spoken about expanding their family and are still considering the possibility. Jurasz said that she will continue to participate in the March for Babies and the March of Dimes, Massachusetts Chapter until a cure for premature births is found. "They're [the March of Dimes] funding research for tomorrow's babies," she said. "There's somebody out there fighting for what I went through. I'm so grateful that he's here. Some babies don't survive. I don't want any other parents to go through what I went through. Hopefully the research [conducted by the March of Dimes] will lessen the number of people [who share this experience]." The 2008 Pioneer Valley March for Babies will take place on April 19 in Forest Park in Springfield. Registration begins at 9 a.m. No donation is required to walk. All $25 donations will be awarded with a March of Dimes T-shirt. Breakfast and lunch will be provided as well as games and other activities for children and families. To make a donation to "Kyle's Kickers" to help the team beat last year's fundraising total of $2,200, go to www.marchforbabies.org/kyledavid. For more information about the March of Dimes, Massachusetts Chapter go to www.marchofdimes.com/massachusetts. | ||||||
