March of Dimes: March for Babies

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The annual March of Dimes: March for Babies kicked off at the Virginia Beach oceanfront Sunday morning. WAVY-TV and sister station FOX 43 news were proud sponsors of the big event.

The goal of the March for Babies is to raise money to fund important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives.

"We've had a fantastic opportunity to create the baby cake and we thought, what better way to end the Eagle/WAVY walk than to strictly donate them for any donation anyone wants to give for the March of Dimes," says one of the owners of Twisted Sisters Cupcakes.

That kind of selflessness by Twisted Sisters Cupcakes is appreciated by Deaven Jackson who is the founder of Team Morgan's Memory.

"Morgan was my daughter. She was born with a congenital heart defect and she passed away 11 days after she was born in October of 2010."

Jackson says the March is, in a way, therapeutic because she's surrounded by people who understand.

"A lot of people don't know the stress and the pain that parents go through when they lose a kid to birth defects," says Jackson.

The Johnson family put on their walking shoes in honor of friends.

"They've had three babies and lost them due to premature birth and they are just wonderful, wonderful people and the kids know that these three babies are their angels and we march for those three babies," says Amy Johnson.

Donna Gray marches for preemie research and development, and she watches as her own preemies walk with her.

"Yamir and Yamar, 2 lbs 8oz each. This is our 8th year out supporting the March of Dimes. They're 9 years-old and they look perfect to be preemies."

Everyone stepped toward the same goal.

"All we want to do is march and make awareness that there is a way that one day all these babies that are born early will make it all the way to the end," says Johnson.