Iowa

Hey Central Iowa parents...

You're Invited to the Our Shining Stars event on Tuesday, November 14th from 6-8 pm at the State Capitol Building in Des Moines.

The Central Division (Des Moines metro) is having an Honor Roll reading of all area babies who were born too soon. We would love to include YOUR child. We will be lighting stars - one for each name read on our Honor Roll. We'd love to shine as many stars as we can.

You can invite grandparents, aunts/uncles, neighbors, coworkers, etc. to come be a part of this event to honor Iowa's premature babies. Media will be invited to attend, as well.

Please let me know if you'd like your child to be honored in this ceremony, or have a star lit in his/her name. You can also contact me or the Division Director, Carla Marcellus, about this PAD event or to learn how you can have a Light a Little Star event in your community.

Central Division office (515) 243-2244 or cmarcellus@marchofdimes.com

Darcy,
Hope you don't mind, I copied and pasted this post with a little more explanation to some of my friends in the area who are not involved w/ the MOD yet! I hope we have a great turnout!
Carissa

JUst a note to say I'm an Iowan too! I am looking at getting more involved in local MOD events, that is if I can find out how! So if anyone knows about an event going on in the eastern part of Iowa, near the quad cities please let me know. I'm sad that I missed the PAD events. I wanna do more for MOD because they do so much to save babies!

I think you and your family have so much to offer the QCA MOD. I'll send them a little note and let them know you'd like to get more involved!
 

Thanks Darcy, I really do want to help as much as I can and I really do want to get our story out because it's one that other preemie parents should know about! I'm thankful for share and all it has done for the parents of preemies and other parents who have journeyed through the NICU! We all have a story to tell and each one is unique and has something to offer others!

The March of Dimes Iowa State Chapter Public Affairs Committee

Cordially invites you to the

Ninth Annual Lobby Day

at the State Capitol





Thursday, January 25, 2007

7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Legislative Dining Room

Ground Floor, Iowa State Capitol



This important event is open to all volunteers interested in advocating on behalf of the March of Dimes. The morning will consist of an open forum to talk one on one with your legislators. We will then open the forum to questions and an opportunity to further discuss the March of Dimes priority issues with our state legislators.

March of Dimes Iowa State Chapter 2007 Legislative Priorities:

1. Increase the state funding support of smoking prevention and cessation programs affecting women of childbearing age and children.

2. Secure Medicaid funding for targeted case management through the Iowa Stork’s Nest program.

3. Mandate of insurance coverage for all Iowans with PKU related disorders for full metabolic treatment.

4. Monitor state funding to the Congenital and Inherited Disorders Registry.

5. Maintain current maternal and infant health services through Medicaid, hawk-i and Iowa Cares.

6. Expand Medicaid to include Presumptive Eligibility for children.





A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS: Your voice matters! We need volunteers to stand up for maternal and infant health issues in the state of Iowa . Come experience the legislative process in action on January 25th!!





Would you personally invite your state representatives to this event? We urge you to invite your senator and representative to the breakfast on Thursday, January 25th, by phone, email, or letter. Let them know that their constituents are looking forward to seeing them there. Please do not contact your U.S. representatives at this time.





How to get in touch with your legislators:

On the Internet: go to www.legis.state.ia.us, then under ‘members” click on “find your legislator”, then fill in your home address and click on “submit”. Your state legislators and their districts will be displayed, with their office address, phone, website and email address.





If you want to call your legislator – try calling between Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the capitol. To contact state senators: 515-281-3371. To contact state representatives: 515-281-3221. Most of the legislators are in their district Mondays and Fridays – so you can contact them at their district office phone number on these days.





Please RSVP to Carla Marcellus, State Public Affairs Manager, at 1-800-627-2412 or 515-243-2244 or email cmarcellus@marchofdimes.com.

You can also direct any questions to me via IM or share mail - LogansMom28w@shareyourstory.org

For those of you located in Central Iowa, I would like to personally invite you to the Family Teams Meeting for Walk America. We will be discussing fundraising, how to create and use your online website, team t-shirts and much more. If you are able attend, please call Lora at our West Des Moines office at 1-800-627-2412 or 515-243-2244.

FAMILY TEAMS WALK AMERICA MEETING
 Monday, March 26, 2007

March of Dimes office, 2910 Westown Parkway, Ste. 301, West Des Moines
6:30-7:30 p.m.

See you there!

Shonda, 2007 Family Teams Walk Committee Chair

Great! I am writing it down on my calendar right now! I'll be there with bells on... or maybe a sombrero!

I would love to be at the meeting on the 26th, but currently I work 3-11 that day. I will try my best to get the evening off. I would really love to be there.

Crystal

I got it switched so I could come on the 26th.

Crystal

Yeah! Hey, will you guys bring your past walk t-shirts to show everyone? Thanks!

-Shonda

Dear MOD families in Iowa,

I have an exciting announcement. The Iowa Chapter will be hosting a Prematurity Summit in Iowa City on November 14th, 2007 and you, yes YOU, are invited.

I am so excited for this event because this year one of MOD big grant winners is Iowa's own Dr. Jeff Murray who will be speaking! Mark your calendars and please plan on attending this event.

For more information, you can contact Molly Gaurd 563-349-3025

See you there!
Darcy
Chair, Iowa Mission Volunteer Advisory Council

I will be there! Looking forward to it actually!

Great, brandi! Glad you can come. What about the other Iowa girls? Will you all be there?

oh my goodness Darcy, you want me to tell you what I'm doing in November...he he he...I'm putting it on the calendar

Of course, Darcy, I will be there...I am actually helping to get it together (just a little tiny bit). My favorite peri in the world will be leading one of the discussions- so I am so excited!

Stacey

Hello everyone,
  Im currently in the NICU at St. Lukes in Cedar Rapids, currently working on week 5, Van was born at 30 weeks and 1 day thanks to PROM

Van's mom,

I wish I would have known that Friday. I'm from the DSM area, but was at Luke's for a mtg, we would have come to say hi, if I had known.

I hope Van is doing well and his NICU stay is going as smoothly as a NICU can.

Darcy

Darcy
Thats would have been great, its great to have new visitors so I can show off my little man He is the talk of the NICU, as being the cutest baby up here. The Doc's call him their little rock star!! All we have to do is eat out of a bottle................................ We just hit a whooping 5lbs!!!!

Ohhhh... you must be getting close to parole, then. Logan got to come home at 5 lb 1 oz, but he was in IC at the U.

Wishing him (and you!) and very soon homecoming.

Darcy

Hello all! I'm here at Mercy with my little Brayan. He was born @ 29 weeks and is 16 days old today! He was just extubated today, we hope he'll stay that way. = )

Anyone else here at Mercy?

Hello and Welcome to Share! We were at Mercy 3 years ago! I now am part of the parent ambassador group that goes around and *checks on * the parents and how they are doing! I will be in tomorrow night from 7-9:30 or so, I'll be sure to stop in and see you and check on little Brayan if you are going to be there. That is so exciting that he was extubated today! What a big day for him! I hope he continues to do well!
Hugs
Carissa

Darcy, I'll already RSVPd for the Prematurity Summit and will be helping in a small way too.

There is no place I'd rather be on my birthday!!!

-Shonda

I'm so glad that I will finally get to meet some of my great friends from SHARE!!

Long time no talk! I am thinking about this gig in November. Is there any way I can check whether I can get nursing CEUs for this also?

Hiya stranger!

Yes! You can contact the Iowa Chapter's Program Services gal. Introduce yourself, tell her I sent you, and ask what you need to do to get your CEUs.

Email Molly Guard - mguard@marchofdimes.com

HTH! That would be great if you could hit two birds with one stone.

best,
Darcy

Darcy, do we need to let anyoneknow that we are planning on attending the Prematurity Summit in IA City?

Yes, please RSVP to Molly Guard.

mguard@marchofdimes.com

I did, she knows I'm coming! Yay! I'm looking forward to this, hearing what the speakers have to say especially the topic about pregnancy after a preterm birth

Sorry to interrupt but I just registered and that is the topic I am looking foreward to also.