Walking for young lives

Bryce Alderton

Whether you know it or not, your life has been touched in some way by

the March of Dimes.

Those were the words of Valerie Herndon, executive director of the

Orange County Division of the March of Dimes, a national voluntary health

agency that works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth

defects and infant mortality.

“When you’re too young and small and placed in a neonatal intensive

care unit,” Herndon said, providing an example of how the March of Dimes

can help someone. “The goal is ensuring each birth is a healthy birth.”

More than 6,000 Orange County walkers strolled for 5 miles Sunday

morning in Newport Beach for March of Dimes WalkAmerica to raise money to

save babies’ lives.

Walk coordinators estimated that donors contributed $950,000 for this

year’s race, meeting the March of Dimes’ goal, said Irma Arvizu,

communications coordinator for the March of Dimes Southern California

Chapter in Los Angeles.

“I am happy to be here today,” Arvizu said. “I’m amazed at the

sponsors; they love this event. It’s a pleasure to be here and see the

community come together to save babies and make a difference.”

Now in its 32nd year, WalkAmerica is March of Dimes’ largest

fund-raiser. In 2001, March of Dimes awarded $61.1 million in grants for

research and prevention of birth defects.

KOCE-TV anchor Ed Arnold has seen all 32 walks, from the first one at

the “Big A,” now Edison International Field in Anaheim, to the current

site at Fashion Island.

Arnold, a March of Dimes Orange County Division board member for 32

years and walk emcee, worked for KOCM Radio, the first business that

opened at Fashion Island.

“It’s a wonderful location,” Arnold said. “It’s fun watching this

place grow.”

Arnold made sure to give credit where credit was due.

The walk “is all volunteer-driven and the [sponsors] put the money

where their mouths are,” Arnold said.

He gains satisfaction from, “seeing the youth ambassadors alive

because of the money raised,” he said.

In Orange County, 90 cents of every dollar raised goes into research

and programs to find ways to prevent premature births and other problems

that jeopardize babies’ lives. Among those ways is a pioneering surgery

that corrects certain birth defects before a baby is born and surfactant

therapy that helps premature babies breathe.

Buena Park resident Debbie Jesselson has volunteered during the last

four walks in Orange County and said she is glad to give something back.

Jesselson was born with a congenital hip.

“It’s a great event, great turnout, great walkers,” Jesselson said. “I

do it as a way of giving thanks. It’s a great feeling to help others who

are less fortunate.”

Clad in turquoise shirts, 150 employees from Century 21 Real Estate

Corporation’s “Superstars,” the franchise name of the real estate

company’s eight Orange County offices, walked Sunday.

More than 400 agents donated more than $4,300 to the March of Dimes,

said Susan Wan-Hubner, director of agent services for the “Superstars.”

“Babies are the future of everything,” Wan-Hubner said. Each year 12%

of babies born in the United States, or 450,000, are born prematurely.

More than 35,000 of those babies are born in Southern California.

Six babies born every hour in California will not see their first

birthday, said James E. Stutz, WalkAmerica Chairman for the Southern

California Chapter, which has nine walks in two weeks in an area north to

San Luis Obispo and south to Mexico.

“The goal is to generate spirit to do what we can so that no parent

has to hear that they will outlive their child,” said Stutz, father of

three children. “I’m in the second half of my life, and it’s time to

start giving back to the community for the blessings I have.”

Mary Beth Griffin, senior WalkAmerica coordinator for the Orange

County Division of the March of Dimes, spent a year with seven staff

members preparing for Sunday’s walk.

“It just warms my heart to see these children that 15 years ago

wouldn’t have survived,” Griffin said.

WalkAmerica draws nearly 500,000 walkers in 1,400 U.S. communities and

Puerto Rico each year.

* Bryce Alderton is the news assistant. He may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at o7 bryce.alderton@latimes.comf7 .