Thousands march for babies

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Thousands of people went the extra mile on Saturday to help some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

“We’re trying to raise money to keep mothers and their children safe,” said Hillsborough March of Dimes Ambassador Samantha Gombos.

The Gombos twins, Jack and Sophia, were born three months early and only one of them showed signs of life.

“Without Surfactant Therapy developed by the March of Dimes, I don’t know that Jack would be here,” Samantha added.

It’s stories like the Gombos that inspired thousands of people to march across several Bay Area counties including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota.

Over 4,000 people attended the Hillsborough March for Babies.

Participants raised over $250,000 for premature birth research.

According to the March of Dimes, prematurity is the leading killer of infants in the United States.

The March of Dimes lists the premature birth rate as 10% in Florida, earning the state a C rating.