Join me as I support healthy lives

Many of you know that my baby girl was born 6 weeks early, at just over 4lbs. Within days, she had dropped to 3lbs, 11oz. After 15 LONG days in the Tacoma General Hospital NICU, we got to take our little girl home. Today, at 18 months old, she's as healthy as can be! Yet there's still some healing that my wife and I have to go through. I don't think I can explain the feeling of walking out of the hospital to head home for the night while your child lays alone in a small bubble, tubes and feeds and lines sticking and poking all over. That joy of holding your newborn on your chest? My wife didn't get to experience that, as our daughter was rushed from the delivery room to the NICU.

Friends still ask me when I'm going to get a baby sitter and leave my baby for a while. Although I know they're right, the reality is I had a baby sitter and left my baby for over 150 hours those first 2 weeks of her life. At a time when I feel the child is longing for her parents' touch the most, all I could do was stare at her through the lid of her isolette, wanting to hold her but knowing I couldn't. Like I said, I don't think I can explain the emotions, the sense of helplessness, the feeling of being a failure as a dad, the worry and fear that a phone call will come in saying "She's gotten worse." I can't, and don't need to, explain those feelings, because they are in the past and my little girl is fine.

Many parents aren't as fortunate. Premature births are a real problem, and ensuring that all babies are born healthy has become a cause that matters deeply to me now. Therefore I'm a strong supporter of March of Dimes. I'd love for you to join me in my efforts to give all babies a great start at life. On April 25, at 8:30AM, we'll be participating in the 6 mile "March for Babies" beginning at Wilson High School in Tacoma. My family and I would love to have you join us.

I understand that giving financially can be a challenge in today's economy, and I understand that this may not be the #1 cause that's in your heart. For those who are able to and desire to help financially, we'd be extremely grateful. Please visit our fundraising site to learn how. If you can't give at this time, but would like to show your support for this cause, please consider walking with us on April 25th. You can register on our site as well.

If you've got stories of premature birth you'd like to share, please feel free to comment on this post.