By KRISTIN TENNEY
A two-year-old Springville child was selected by the Southern Utah Division of the March of Dimes to represent the organization as the Youth Ambassador for 1999.
As the Youth Ambassador, Jaden Warren will help spread the message that the March of Dimes saves the lives of babies. He and his parents will be involved in local and national media events for the March of Dimes.
Jaden will begin his reign as the Youth Ambassador at the March of Dimes WalkAmerica kickoff April 24.
WalkAmerica is a donation program that has helped the March of Dimes raise more than $1 billion to help improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.
“If it hadn’t been for the treatments and therapy that were used on Jaden I know he wouldn’t be here today,” Jaden’s mother Brittany said. “We are so grateful for the March of Dimes.”
Jaden was born to Sid and Brittany Warren weighing only 1 pound and 14 ounces. He spent 2 1-2 months in the NICU at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.
“It was an emotional roller coaster for us,” Brittany said.
After undergoing surfactant therapy and requiring a high-frequency oscillatory ventilator the Warrens were allowed to take their baby home weighing just under 4 pounds.
The March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs reports that it is a national voluntary health agency that has contributed to such breakthroughs as the development of the polio vaccine and surfactant therapy, which has cut the number of babies that die from respiratory distress syndrome by half.
“We think it’s pretty neat that Jaden was chosen for this honor,” Jaden’s father Sid said.
“We’re just happy to have the opportunity to be involved. It’s nice to get the chance to thank the people who are responsible for developing the treatment’s that saved Jaden’s life,” Brittany said.
