March for Babies this weekend in VB

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - This weekend, thousands of walkers will pound the pavement at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk for the annual "March for Babies."

The walk will raise money for research to help make babies healthier - something Governor Tim Kaine has made a priority for the state.

Our very own Kerri Furey will get started Wednesday, walking 90 miles from James City County to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

More than 400 infants died in Virginia in 2007 because they were born prematurely. WAVY.com Health Reporter Stephanie Harris has more on a mission one woman in Chesapeake has taken to heart.

As a teacher, Kami Brown sees kids who were born prematurely sometimes struggle with school work -- as a Mom she's seen worse, her daughter Kinsley was born too soon.

Kinsely lived for six months, but died of an infection just hours after coming home from the hospital.

"I thought what if I hadn't walked ten blocks at the beach, would that have made a difference," Brown said.

Community walks like this help raise money for research and education. The March of Dimes says its campaign encourages moms to take folic acid which reduced neural tube defects in Virginia by 57 percent.

That's reason enough for WAVY.com's Kerri Furey who's ready to lace up her sneakers and walk for babies.

" Because I love healthy babies as much as everyone else. I have two of my own that I'm grateful for and want to help the march of dimes do more," Kerri said.

It also helps create new drugs, like the one Kami took to stop pre-term labor in her next two pregnancies.

You can join the "March For Babies" this weekend. Registration starts at 8, and the walk kicks off at 9. That's this Sunday, April 26, at the 24th Street Park at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

Click HERE to join the WAVY/Fox 43 Team.