Walk planned for infant mortality awareness

Walk planned for infant mortality awareness

September 26, 2011 | Keri Brown

Debbie Mason, Director of the Forsyth County Infant Mortality Coalition, said there's a lot of resources available to pregnant women in the community, but more education is needed to help prevent deaths related to preamature births, birth defects and unsafe sleeping conditions.

"In Forsyth County, we have a lot of unhealthy women coming into pregnancy and then there are some things that can be done but very little just in pregnacy itself. Our African American babies die at two to three times the rate of White babies and this is a disparity that has been consistent," said Mason.

The Infant Mortality Coalition and other community members are planning a special walk Tuesday morning to commemorate the tragic loss and bring more awareness to healthy pregnancies. Mason said participants are encouraged to wear blue or pink.

" We are doing a walk a mile to save our babies. We are walking with 48 empty baby strollers to symbolize the 48 babies that were lost during 2009 and others will walk with us. We will hear an address by the mayor, we will hear parents themselves give their personal stories of how they were affected by their losses," said Mason.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Centenary United Methodist Church in downtown Winston-Salem.