Ready. Set. March for Babies: March of Dimes kicks off biggest fundraiser

On April 26 at Canalside in Buffalo, thousands of families and business leaders will join together in the March of Dimes annual March for Babies - the nation's oldest walk fundraiser honoring babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.

This year's Buffalo Ambassador Family is the Romas. Born via emergency C-section 15 weeks early, Estelle Roma weighed 1 pound, 5 ounces; and Louis Roma weighed two pounds even. After 99 days, they were both able to come home from the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Not only did they beat the odds two years ago, but they have no signs of their early struggles.

The Romas are joined by David Fox, the Buffalo 2015 March for Babies chair. Fox is the vice president of player development for the Seneca Niagara Casino Corp. As a longstanding corporate volunteer, he wanted to raise awareness and funds to prevent premature birth and give more moms a healthy baby.

Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in this country.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with the two-mile walk kicking off at 11 a.m. To register for the March, visit www.marchforbabies.org.

Funds raised by March for Babies in Buffalo help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, newborn intensive care unit family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.

Premature birth affects nearly half a million babies each year, including 1,912 per year in Western New York. Approximately 490 babies are born with a birth defect in Western New York every year. March of Dimes funding is supporting more than $350,000 in community programs in Western New York and approximately $280,000 in research funding.

Visit marchforbabies.org.