I am writing this letter to inform you about the concern I have for families who have premature babies in their lives.

All families who have had a premature baby in their lives know that this can be a very costly trip. The cost for antibiotics, medicines and ventilators can be very high.

My mother had my brother at 24 weeks. It was one of the hardest things that my family went through.

Robert was born at 24 weeks, weighing less than 2 pounds. Research shows that babies weighing less than 2.2 pounds usually don’t survive. Incubators, which house a baby for months, and ventilators, which help keep the baby breathing and supporting their lungs, are great lifesavers.

Unfortunately, these babies are not the only ones who need special support. Imagine how you would feel if you just had your child and it was born weighing only two pounds or less? A good idea is to join a support group or form one in the hospital your baby is staying in, with the other parents of premature children.

Help for research comes from the March of Dimes. This year for Walk America, my mother, stepfather, brother and I will be an ambassador family for the March of Dimes.

I want everyone to be aware of how hard it is to take care of these babies and support the family. For this year’s good deed, make a donation toward the March of Dimes or join me in Walk America.

Chelsea Horton, Auburn