April 23, 2009

Faculty, staff and students will take more than baby steps on Sunday, April 26, when the University of Houston hosts the March of Dimes’ annual March for Babies.

On that day, Cougars will join thousands of other Houstonians on campus, which will serve as one of the city’s walkathon sites. This year’s walk will begin at 9 a.m., with the start/finish line located in front of Entrance 14 on Cullen Boulevard.

UH President Renu Khator will host a breakfast at 8 a.m. and lunch at 10:30 a.m. at the university’s tent inside Robertson Stadium.

The March of Dimes, whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality, held its first walk in 1970. Since then, the event has netted more than $1.8 billion. The March of Dimes uses 77 cents of every dollar raised from the event to support research and programs that help mothers have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives, according to the organization’s Web site.

For more information on how to participate, contact the March of Dimes representative in your academic deans/division administrators’ office.