Hi everyone,

I had another really fun visit last week.  I went to Colorado, which is where I was born and where I used to live.  The night we got there it was my dad’s birthday, so we went to our favorite restaurant- the Old Spaghetti Factory!  It was super fun.

The next day we started off at Loaf N Jug on Colorado Boulevard.  I met Mr. Derrick and thanked him for being such a great supporter of the March of Dimes.  Last year Loaf N Jug raised $200,000 for the March of Dimes, and they were the top corporate team in Colorado- wow!  That is hard work. I  bought a cereal bar as a snack and picked out some Big Red gum for my mom. We love gum! The next stop we went to the Boulder Journey School in Boulder, Colorado.  I had so much fun there!  I handed cards out to all the kids (even the babies), and I had lots of fun playing with the cool toys they had at the school.  This school is the top team in Boulder, I wonder if the kids raise money along with their parents to raise so much.  I really liked the projectors and enjoyed making shadow puppets. The school even has a space room- with a big rocket ship and a rover, just like on the Moon!  I had so much fun inventing that I had a hard time leaving.  Next we went to the Boulder March for Babies kickoff at the Butterfly Pavilion.  Mom and Dad spoke to the whole room and shared my story.  Then we went in to see the butterflies in a big warm room full of plants.  I had a great time and made a few new friends. Next we went to Sky Ridge Medical Center, which is the hospital I was born. I was lucky enough to meet the doctor who helped me become healthy and strong while I was in the NICU- Dr. Toney.  My mom started crying as soon as she saw Dr. Toney, she said its because it brought back a lot of memories from when I was in the hospital as a new baby.  I gave her a hug to feel better.  Then we toured the NICU (we visited my cubicle, number 8), and had some milk and cookies with some nurses and Dr. Toney.  If you want to watch a video of us at Sky Ridge you can click here.

The next day was our last day in Denver.  We woke up early for the Denver March for Babies, which was on the top of our hotel in a room with with big windows so I could see the mountains.  I went on stage with my mom and dad to tell everyone about my story and what are doing this year as ambassadors. I met Nancy Riggs who is a Regional Manager with Loaf ‘N Jug and Ron Valentine who is a District Advisor.  I told them that I went to one of their stores the day before, and they were really happy about that.  It was nice to meet them, especially after they have done so much for the March of Dimes.  I also met the local ambassador family and had fun playing with Will & Max.  It was their 3rd birthday that day- we each had a cupcake from their mom and dad. After the kick off we went to Denver International Airport – but not to leave Denver just yet!  We toured the United Airlines facility there. They gave me a lot of awesome stuff that says United; a blanket, a cup, and even real wings like pilots wear.  I got a pack of wings to share with my friends (and even with some of the new MEOWS agents).  We saw air traffic control, airline operations  and Chelsea food center, where they make the food for the flights. After we left the airport we headed over to the Kmart in Aurora, another really great friend of the March of Dimes.  I handed out my cards and my mom and dad even told my story.  A really nice lady gave me a Kmart pin too!  She showed me a pin that meant she worked at Kmart for 25 years, and she said the pin was really special to her.  After that we went to Cigna in Denver, which is where my mom started with Cigna AND first learned about the March of Dimes!  We had an ice cream party, and I love ice cream. YUM! Last but not least we visited Mind, Body, Sole, the new Famous Footwear store at Cherry Creek mall.  It was lots of fun, they even had a healthy snack of veggies and grapes set up for me in the store. 

This was a really fun trip for me, and I’m pretty sure for my parents too.

Thanks Denver, see you soon!

Kieran

I had a really great time in Washington DC after I met President Barack Obama.  Something that the March of Dimes does sometimes is called lobbying. Lobbying means that the March of Dimes asks the people who make laws to make sure those laws keep moms and babies safe and healthy.  On Thursday we went up to “the hill” and met with really great people who help make laws for Washington State.

We met with Representative Jay Inslee who told me about a baseball game he played with other lawmakers.  He also had a super bouncy couch he let me bounce on – that was fun!

I also met Senator Maria Cantwell.  She was really nice and let me play with the flag outside her office.

We also met with Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Senator Patty Murray.

My parents asked everyone to support the PREEMIE bill (to help babies) and another bill that would make a special coin for the March of Dimes. I hope I get one of those coins when the law passes.

The next day we went up to Baltimore, Maryland to visit with 2 Cigna offices.  In the Lutherville office I met Mr Gregg Boone – he introduced me and my mom and dad to the Cigna team. They had really yummy donuts there, and they gave me a stuffed crab who I named Crabie. Crabie is now a MEOWS trainer. Then we visited the Cigna Health Spring office, which was in a really cool old bottle factory!  They had yummy fruit- it was so good that I ate 4 plates. I walked around after we spoke and handed out my cards.  Everyone at the office was really nice.  My mom wants me to say “Welcome to Cigna!” to that office.

Over the weekend we went to the AMCHP conference, which is all about keeping moms and babies healthy- just like the March of Dimes. I had my own table there, and I handed out cards and talked to people.  I also did an interview with Go Beyond, you can watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzQLEtFcIns&feature=related. Then we went to a luncheon with Region X- which sounds scary, but it actually just means the number 10.  We told our story and heard about the things Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington are doing to keep moms and babies safe.  On Tuesday we participated in a mini March for Babies.  That was my first March for Babies as the National Ambassador.  We spoke on stage and then me and mom and dad lead the walk.  It was fun to see all those people walking in March of Dimes purple.  I love being able to get outside and run around, so the Mini March for Babies was awesome.  Mom and dad had a fun time too, and there was candy for us at the end of the yummy. It was also Valentines Day, AND my dad’s birthday!  Everyone sang happy birthday to him when we were on stage.Thanks to everyone at the AMCHPconference, in Baltimore at the Cigna offices, and in Washington DC for having so much fun with me and my family over the week!  P.S.- Thanks to Mr. Nate Brown from the March of Dimes for taking all of the great pictures of me while in Washington D.C, and thanks to Ms. Judy Harting from Cigna for taking all the great pictures of me at Cigna!

Kieran

Hi everyone!

Yesterday I met someone who is known around the world, and who is the big boss of the United States of America.  I met President Barack Obama.

President Obama invited me and my family, my friend Lauren Fleming (the March of Dimes 2011 National Ambassador) and her family, and Mr. Gary Dixon, a March of Dimes trustee who came all the way from Texas, to meet him in the Oval Office of the White House.  It was a great honor to be able to meet the President. He was very nice. We took lots of pictures and he presented me with gifts, including a picture of Bo the dog, a presidential coin, a frisbee, yo-yo and red, white and blue m&ms! I was also given an autographed pocket-sized constitution from him that says ‘Dream Big Dreams.’ Yes sir!

I asked him if it was ok if I ate candy in the Oval Office  and he told me to ask my mom. He gave me a big hug as I left and thanked me for my service to the March of Dimes. What an honor!

WASHINGTON, D.C., FEB. 7, 2012 — (Left to right) Gary Dixon of Dallas, TX, member of March of Dimes national Board of Trustees, was joined today by March of Dimes 2012 National Ambassador family Shalini, Shane and 6-year-old Kieran Wittstruck of Seattle, WA, and 2011 National Ambassador family Nikki, Densel (holding son Corbin), 8-year-old Ambassador Lauren, and little sister Erin of Charlotte, North Carolina, prior to a private meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House. These national volunteers represented the March of Dimes and the 500,000 babies born prematurely each year. This visit continues the March of Dimes 66-year tradition of National Ambassador visits to the White House. March of Dimes National Ambassadors have met with every U.S. President since President Harry S. Truman.

The Oval Office was really nice, and I had a fun time meeting the President.  Thank you for inviting us to your house President Obama!

Kieran

P.S.- Thank you to Mr. Nate Brown from the March of Dimes for sharing the pictures of us in front of the White House, and thanks to the White House for sharing the pictures of me and my family in the Oval Office with President Obama!

Hey everyone!

Boy, do I have a great story to tell you.  This week I went out to Chicago to meet with the boss boss boss of United Airlines- Mr. Jeff Smisek!  When I got there I got to meet some United Airlines pilots, and they gave me wings AND a real pilot hat.  How cool is that?  Then Mr. Smisek and I did a photo shoot together which will be put in Hemispheres magazine in a few months. They put a little bit of makeup on me for the camera, and guess what?  Mr. Smisek wore a little bit of makeup for the camera too!  We did a video shoot that they will play on the planes during United Airlines March for Babies season.  I gave Mr. Smisek a Lego airplane I built for him and we even played with the plane for a little while, while sharing Hot Tamales.On the way home the airplane passengers clapped to show their support for the March of Dimes and my ambassadorship. I even shared my cards with a few of the passengers and helped the stewardess restock juice!

This was a really fun visit, even though we were only in Chicago for a little while. I hope to visit Chicago again soon.

Did you know United Airlines is the official sponsor of the National Ambassador program, and they have been sponsoring the program for 7 years? That’s older than me!  They do a really good job sponsoring, and I love United Airlines.

I can’t wait to hang out with Mr. Smisek again.  Thanks United Airlines!

See you soon,

Kieran

Hi there!

I sure had a fun time in Arizona, and boy was it warm there!  It was even warmer than summer is in Seattle, but that meant I got to go swimming which was a lot of fun.

After we landed we went over to St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center to meet Mrs. Linda Hunt.  Mrs. Linda is the CEO at the hospital, but she is also really involved with March for Babies as the 2012 walk Chair.  When I visited her in her office I saw a musical instrument called a gong that looked so cool, Mrs. Linda actually gave it to me! I spent the rest of my time in Arizona playing the gong, I liked it so much! After that we went to take a tour of the NICU and I said hi to a mama and her baby who were still in the hospital.  We told her what I was doing this year as the National Ambassador…I think it made her happy to see how big and smart preemies can be after they grow up.  After we left St Josephs, Ms. Terri from the Phoenix March of Dimes chapter took us out to dinner at TGIFridays at the top of Chase field.  Chase Field was getting ready for a monster truck rally and the field was covered in dirt.  That was awesome!

The next day we started out by going on a live morning tv show, 3TV’s Good Morning! Arizona.  The news anchors were so nice that they brought me up on TV before it was even our turn to talk!  When we did go up and talk my mom and Mrs. Yeta told everyone in Phoenix about March for Babies and how to get involved.  There are a lot of people at the 3TV station  who are involved with the March of Dimes, and it was nice for my mom to talk with some of them.  After the interview we went over to Cigna healthcare, which is the company my mom works for!  A whole room full of Cigna employees came to meet us and hear our story, and Stephanie Gorman, the Arizona President/General Manager, even gave me an autographed Arizona Cardinals football!  Then I signed my cards for almost everyone there.  I think it was neat for my mom to know that Cigna employees all over the country are involved in March for Babies, and she even challenged them to be the number 1 Cigna fund-raising team in the nation.  I think they can do it if they really try!  After we visited Cigna we went to Peter Piper Pizza.  I had SO MUCH FUN!  I played with Dayton, who is the son of Keli McCann, the Field Marketing Manager of Peter Piper.  They were so nice there, and I played games and even got to make my own pizza. Yum!  After lunch we went to Macys to thank them for their really hard work during the shop for a cause promotion last year which raised 3 million dollars for the March of Dimes.  That is a LOT of money, thank you again Macys! Our last stop of the day was to visit Kmart.  We told our story, and they even had some candy for me to eat, I had whoppers.  Mr. Chad Conway showed me how he can take his thumb off. He really did it too!  Maybe one day he will tell me how he did it.  Kmart and the March of Dimes have been working hard together for a long time. Thank you Kmart!

The next day was our last day in Arizona.  In the morning we went to the Phoenix area March for Babies kickoff, where there was a radio station called Hot 97.5FM playing really good music.  There were also lots of people who love the March of Dimes! I met Mr. Chad Fife from Fry’s food stores, he’s the 2012 March for Babies chair in Tuscon. I also saw Mrs. Linda Hunt again.  It was nice to see her, and she showed me the big shoes that she has to fill in her role this year (They were really big shoes!).  The kickoff and walk is Mardi Gras themed since Mrs. Linda is from New Orleans, so I came home with a large collection of gold, green and purple bead necklaces.  After the kickoff we made our final trip in Arizona – this time to Radio Disney to do an interview.  We have done a lot of Disney so far in our travels!

I had a really fun time in Arizona, thank you to the March of Dimes Phoenix chapter, and to everyone we met during our couple of days there.

See you soon,

Kieran

Hello everyone!

Last week I went out to New York City, and it sure was fun.  I flew with my parents on another great big United Airlines plane, and I even got to say hello to the pilots. 

The next day I went to the March of Dimes National Office.  I like when I go there, it’s pretty fun.  I had an especially fun time because I got to have some milk and cookies with Dr. Howse, who is the President of the March of Dimes!  We talked a lot about my cat spy agency, MEOWS, since I am the boss boss boss.

The next day I went on live television on a morning show called Fox and Friends.  My parents and I were interviewed by someone who loves the March of Dimes as much as I do, Gretchen Carlson.  She is a spokesperson for the March of Dimes just like I am so we had a lot in common.  You can watch some of our interview, called “After the Show, Show” right from the Fox News website at this link: http://video.foxnews.com/v/1399913342001/after-the-show-show-march-of-dimes-ambassador-family/.

This was a really fun visit, I can’t wait for my next trip!

See you soon,

Kieran

Hey everyone!  I think it is pretty darn cool that there is a press release about me and my parents and what we will do this year.  I hope you think it’s cool too!  If you want to look at my national press release, it can be found on the March of Dimes website at this link http://marchofdimes.com/news/10340.html .

Happy reading!

See you soon,

Kieran

Hey everyone!

I think this year is going to be a lot of fun being the National Ambassador for 2012.  Going to Orlando was a great way to start the year for me and my parents! Let me tell you about my first trip with the March of Dimes.

We started out on Thursday leaving home really early in the morning, I was so excited, I woke up before mom and dad! We spent the whole day flying on big United Airlines planes, and I even got to talk to the pilots!  I think what they do is so cool that I might want to be a pilot when I grow up.  When we finally got to Orlando it was really warm out, it felt like our summers in Seattle- I couldn’t believe it!

The next morning we went for my first live TV interview on Fox 35.

I’ve never been in a TV studio, or been on TV, but I wasn’t nervous.  I think mom and dad did a really good job, but I think I looked the coolest in my purple tie.  After the interview we went to Publix Super Market #1313 to get sandwiches for lunch.  Everyone there was so nice, and I got to meet the General Manager of the store!  Later that day we went over to the ESPN World of Sports so my mom and dad could get their bibs for the Disney half marathon, and to say hi to some of my moms friends at Cigna. I saw Mr. Cordani before he spoke to the big group of Cigna runners, and I even gave him one of my ambassador cards!

On Saturday morning both my mom and dad ran the Disney half marathon.  Did you know that’s over 13 miles?  That’s a lot of running and I’m proud of them for doing such a good job.  After the half marathon we spent the whole day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and I had so much fun!  My favorite ride was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Mom and Dad got soaked riding Splash Mountain – I thought that was funny.

On Monday morning I went to a new type of Famous Footwear shoe store called Mind, Body & Soul.  They had treadmills (that of course I had to run on!) and really cool rows of shoes that moved.  Usually shoe stores aren’t too much fun, but this one was!  Famous Footwear helps the March of Dimes out every year, and all of the people who worked there seemed pretty excited to March for Babies again this year.  After we left we went over to Mayor Buddy Dyer’s office.  He declared Monday, January 9 2012 as 2012 National Ambassador Family Day, all because of me!  Talk about cool.  He even let me eat some of the lettuce he grew, I wanted to put it on my sandwich.  Later in the day we went to the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.  Dr. Gregor Alexander gave us a tour of the NICU, and I saw tiny babies – like I used to be.  The hallways of the NICU are filled with pictures of babies who were born at that hospital- there were a whole lot of pictures in there.  Dr. Alexander has the whole NICU named after him so it was really nice of him to take us on a tour.  We also got to meet Myra Hancock, who is the COO of the hospital and helps the March of Dimes a lot.  We ended the day at Nemours Preview Center, which is a hospital that will open up in November of this year.  We saw what their hospital will look like when it’s done, and it looks cool.

Tuesday was my last day in Orlando.  We started out the day with a breakfast at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children, and I met a really nice guide dog, Murray, who I played with for a long time. Murray was a really nice dog, especially since she cheers up people who are not feeling well in the hospital.  I think he has an important job.  

Then we played my National Ambassador video and I told everyone to support the March of Dimes- so I hope they do!  Then we took a NICU tour and saw all of the things that the nurses and doctors do to help the little babies.  Our last stop of the trip was to the Publix headquarters in Lakeland. I met Mr. Ed Crenshaw who is the CEO of all of Publix.  The March of Dimes wanted to thank him for helping so many babies, so they gave him an award!  Publix was the #3 company that raised the most money for the March of Dimes last year- WOW!  That night, I had a blast playing at the Lego store in downtown Disney.

I can’t believe that my first trip is already over!

Even though it was tiring, It was a lot of fun.  It was really cool to see so many people who really love the March of Dimes.  I’m excited for my next trip already.

See you soon,

Kieran

Hi everyone!

My name is Kieran and this is my blog.  I am the 2012 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes, and I am excited about it!

Being the National Ambassador means that my family and I will meet people all over the country who care a lot about babies.  Since I was born too early and sick it means a lot to me and my parents to meet these people who care about the health of babies.

I start as the National Ambassador on January 1st, but I actually already went on my first visit back in October.  I went to Washington, D.C with my mom and dad for the March of Dimes Volunteer Leadership Conference.  I met Lauren Fleming, who is the 2011 National Ambassador, and her whole family.  We went on stage together after she and her mom and dad gave a really nice speech, and she gave me a back-pack to help me with my travels this year!  I met a lot of people when I was there, including Dr. Howse, who is the President of the March of Dimes.  She is a smart lady, and she really cares about helping little babies .  I met a lot of other people who love the March of Dimes as much as I do, and I’m sure I will meet a lot more throughout 2012!

Wish me luck on all of my travels, and make sure to say hello when you meet me!

Kieran.