More than five hundred people pounded the pavement at Onondaga Lake Park for the March for Babies-- raising money, offering support and sharing advice.
"Don't plan for anything because everything changes," said Amy Friers. "We never thought she'd be premature and she was."
Two-year-old Elizabeth Friers was born five weeks ahead of schedule. Each year, her family walks for the March of Dimes. The money raised will support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, and ICU family support units here in Central New York. Board members say the effects of the walk reach farther than that.
"You can't help but love children, it's an important thing to see what people go through. It's also a very big cost to society as well," said Tyler Cagwin. "The cost annually is about $21 million."
Organizers say premature birth affects more than half a million babies each year across the country--and the chance to help those babies keeps families here coming back year after year.
Walk organizers say they raised a grand total of $112,000 dollars. The organization has also held walks in Oswego, Ithaca, and Utica this year.
Click here for a list of March of Dimes office locations in New York.
