March support

Luis Pena

Rather than heading out to the beach in 82-degree weather, a crowd of

about 6,000 hit Fashion Island Sunday to support the March of Dimes

WalkAmerica.

The 5-mile WalkAmerica is the largest fundraiser for March of

Dimes programs on premature birth, research, education, advocacy and

community services. More than 460,000 babies are born prematurely

every year, making it one of the organization’s top priorities, said

Anita D. Roark, director of communications and marketing for the

March of Dimes’ Southern California chapter.

“We have again achieved our goal and truly appreciate our local

companies and participants,” said John Clement, board member of the

Orange County division of the Southern California chapter of the

March of Dimes. The walk helped to raise more than $850,000 for the

organization.

Trisha Mizusawa, 16, a Corona del Mar High School junior, is a

member of the Orange County Youth Leadership Council for the March of

Dimes. She volunteers for the program because it brings people

together and raises money for a good cause. Tracy Cooper of Buena

Park has a son, Justin, 13, who is a youth ambassador for the

organization. Justin Cooper was born with a diaphragmatic hernia.

Those who have the birth defect are born with a hole in the

diaphragm, which allows part of the intestines to develop inside the

chest.

“If [the March of Dimes] weren’t here Justin wouldn’t be here, and

so we support them and every year we do this,” Tracy Cooper said.

Corona del Mar resident Bree Dennis and some of her relatives

participated in the walk as an ambassador family. She wants to help

prevent families from going through the same pain and emotional

stress that her family has gone through because of her 8-year-old son

Trevor’s bout with spina bifida. Her son has been through 18

different surgeries. Patrick Evans of Irvine and his family came out

to the event because both of their children were born underweight.

Instead of walking, they ran it.

“It’s nice to see such a big turnout for a worthy cause,” Irvine

resident Cheryl Evans said. “A lot of people were cheering on the

course for a walk that’s pretty special.”

One special walker was San Dimas resident Elisa Porter, who is six

months pregnant. Porter was born two months premature, which she

cited as one reason why she came out to support the March of Dimes.

Porter didn’t expect to make it through the entire walk in her

condition, but she pulled it off in the end.

“They gave me a 40% chance survival rate when I was born, but

after a month in the hospital, I made it,” Porter said.

* LUIS PENA is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at luis.pena@latimes.com.