Zurich Congratulates the Titus Family for Being Selected the 2009 Ambassador Family for the North Suburban Chicagoland March for Babies
2009-04-08 17:52:05 -
Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider, congratulates Zurich employee Beth Titus, her husband Jeff, and their happy, healthy two-year-old boys Devin and Dake for being selected the 2009 North Suburban March for Babies Ambassador Family. The March of Dimes selects an Ambassador Family each year to kick off March for Babies, a fundraising walk where volunteers raise funds to help prevent the number one cause of newborn death and the biggest threat to babies’ health today – premature birth.
Devin and Dake were born at 23-weeks and five days. They each weighed a mere one pound, seven ounces and were each 12 inches long.
“Today they are healthy, two-year-old boys who love jumping, climbing, playing with blocks, eating pizza and taking bubble-baths,” said Beth Titus, claim specialist in Mass Litigation for Zurich North America Commercial. “I’m honored to be in an Ambassador Family. Without the March of Dimes and the findings from their research about premature births, I don’t believe my family’s story would have had such a positive ending.”
Titus said the March of Dimes’ findings from critical research on surfactant, a wetting agent that lowers surface tension, helped save her babies’ lives. She said the lungs in extremely premature babies are sticky and don’t pop open the same way the lungs pop open in healthy babies, which can cause Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). In the 1980s, therapy using artificial surfactant was developed by March of Dimes grantee T. Allen Merritt, M.D., of the University of California San Diego Medical Center. Since the discovery and use of artificial surfactant, the number of babies who die from RDS has been reduced from 10,000 per year to fewer than 1,000. Today, the introduction of artificial surfactant into the trachea and lungs of extremely premature newborns is essential therapy.
“The March of Dimes selected the Titus family because they are shining examples of what we aspire to achieve,” said Jeri Bingham, Illinois state director of communications for March of Dimes. “A premature birth can be devastating to families and can sometimes lead to a life of mental and physical disability, but not for this family – Devin and Dake are happy, healthy toddlers who have beaten the odds. We are honored to call them March of Dimes Ambassadors.”
“It takes courage and dedication for the Titus family to share their personal story about Devin and Dake with the community to help raise awareness for such a wonderful organization,” said Bob Rheel, head of Distribution and Regional Management for Zurich North America Commercial and Senior Champion for the Illinois March of Dimes. “Hearing stories like Beth’s makes me proud to work for Zurich, a company that supports charities - like the March of Dimes - and values giving back to the communities where we work and live.”
Zurich employees all across the U.S. are forming fundraising teams and walking in the upcoming March for Babies, which takes place in more than 900 communities across the country.
The Titus family will start the North Suburban March for Babies held at Busse Woods, located across the street from the Schaumburg-based Corporate Headquarters for Zurich in North America, on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 9 a.m.
Zurich is also hosting a special event to honor the Titus family and help the Zurich March for Babies’ teams kick off their fundraising efforts on April 9, 2009 at 11:45 a.m. at the Zurich Towers in Schaumburg.
The March of Dimes in Illinois uses 90 cents of every dollar raised during March for Babies to support research and programs in the state that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. For more information about March for Babies, go to www.marchforbabies.org/ : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. or click HERE : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. .
For more information about Zurich in North America, go to www.zurichna.com : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. or click HERE : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. .
About Zurich
Zurich’s North America Commercial and Global Corporate in North America business divisions are part of Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich ( www.zurichna.com : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. ) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors.
Editors’ Note: Reporters are invited to help kick off the North Suburban March for Babies with Zurich employees, March of Dimes representatives and by meeting Beth, Jeff, and two-year-old twins Devin and Dake Titus on April 9, 2009 at 11:45 a.m. The event will take place at Zurich’s North American headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. Reporters interested in attending the event should contact Jennifer Nowacki for more information.
Media contact:Jennifer NowackiZurich(847)
605-6511 jennifer.nowacki@zurichna.com : mailto:jennifer.nowacki@zurichna.com
