Brigham and Women's Hospital Bulletin Article Featuring Boston Ambassador Family, Team JZ

Big Steps for Tiny Patients

Abby, Jared, Jeremy and Derek Stern are the Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes walk this year.

When Abby Stern was admitted to BWH 22 weeks into what is normally a 40-week pregnancy, her care team wasn’t optimistic that she would carry her pregnancy to term. Their goal was to forestall delivery until at least week 28.
One day shy of week 28, Stern gave birth to Zachary, her two-pound, 10 ounce first-born, who didn’t make a sound. Jared, his twin, arrived next, crying loudly.
A few hours later, Stern received the news no mother ever wants to hear—her son Zachary had died from complications of prematurity. Surviving son Jared would remain in the BWH NICU and later the Children’s NICU for the first 180 days of his life.
Today, Jared is a healthy eight-year-old who walks with his family at the March of Dimes March for Babies each year in honor of his experience and in memory of his twin brother Zachary. The Stern family is not alone.
One in eight babies is born prematurely. This year’s March of Dimes event is expected to draw more than 6,000 participants in Boston to raise money for research and programs that help ensure all babies have a healthy start to life. With the help of research, education and prevention efforts of the March of Dimes, prematurity rates have dropped five percent over the last four years.

Last year’s BWH NICU Strollers team comes together after the walk.

“It continues to be quite gratifying how well BWH and the March of Dimes are collaboratively working towards our shared vision of providing every baby with a healthy start,” said Paul Hughes, administrative director of the Department of Newborn Medicine. “Last year, our NICU Strollers team had about 100 walkers who had hundreds of contributors, and we are hoping to increase both this year. We really hope that more BWH departments, teams and individuals will join us.”
Hughes has seen first-hand how March of Dimes efforts have been paying off for NICU babies and families. In 2011, the BWH Strollers team broke records to raise $38,000, and was ranked first among all March of Dimes fundraising teams in Massachusetts.
The March of Dimes has current investments of more than $6 million in Massachusetts research grants. Children’s Hospital, BWH and Massachusetts General Hospital, are the top three recipients in the state. These grants fund research to help patients like the Sterns.
This year, the Sterns are sharing their story as the Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes. They continue to keep in touch with the BWH doctors and nurses, especially Chief of Newborn Medicine Steven Ringer, MD, PhD, who helped them through the most difficult time of their lives.
With their love and courage, the Sterns exemplify how families can share their stories of tragedy and triumph to benefit others.