Aug. 16 – 25

Last year, you and our customers raised nearly $6.4 million for March of Dimes. Because of these generous contributions, we were named the No. 1 March of Dimes corporate partner for the 8th year in a row. Since 1995, we’ve raised more than $100 million.

The March of Dimes affects people’s lives every day, including those in our Publix family. For instance, Assistant Store Manager Paul Joyner, #633, Charleston, South Carolina, and his daughter, Sofia.

At a regular check-up 1 month before his wife’s due date, an electrocardiogram revealed an abnormality with the baby’s heart. Specialists diagnosed the baby with coarctation of the aorta — a narrowing of the large blood vessel that leads from the heart. An extra blood vessel typically closes in babies shortly after birth, and doctors were concerned her lungs may not get enough blood once that happened. An extensive birth plan was developed because doctors were predicting the baby may need surgery shortly after birth.

When Sofia was born, she was immediately placed in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) to monitor her heart. Fortunately, tests revealed there was no coarctation of the aorta. Sofia was discharged from the PCICU after only a day.

Thanks to research from the March of Dimes, doctors were able to detect a potentially life-threatening issue with Sofia’s heart. Let’s give every baby a healthy start by supporting more research, education and advocacy.