Walking for McKalee

Published 5:00 pm Tuesday, April 11, 2006

<I>Contributed</I><BR>Brogan was born five weeks premature. He is now a healthy 23-month-old. Brogan's mother, Lindsay Madden, is getting a team of walkers together to walk in the name of Brogan's older sister, who was born 17 weeks early and only lived for an hour, to raise money for the March of Dimes.

JOHN DAY – McKalee Madden was born May 29, 2003, to Tim and Lindsay Madden of John Day. She was 17 weeks premature and lived a little over an hour.

Lindsay Madden is getting a local team together to walk in McKalee’s memory. Through the March of Dimes WalkAmerica fund-raiser, Madden and the team hope to raise money for research. Premature birth is the leading cause of infant death.

“This is a hard time of year for me because she was born at this time of year, so I thought I’d do something positive in memory of her and to keep her spirit alive,” Madden said.

The Maddens’ son, Brogan, who was born after McKalee at Blue Mountain Hospital was five weeks early. He was airlifed to St. Charles in Bend, where he spent one week in the neonatal intensive care unit before they were able to bring him home. He’s now a healthy 23-month old.

“We received excellent care, not only locally, but in Bend. I think a lot of that has to do with the research that organizations like March of Dimes have done to prevent death and complications in premature babies. Ten or twenty years ago, it might have been a different outcome for him,” Madden said.

The March of Dimes puts 75 percent of every dollar donated toward research and prevention of premature death.

McKalee’s team will walk at 9 a.m. April 29 in Baker City. The walk begins at Geiser Pollman Park and is a little over six miles. So far there are 25 people on the team, but they welcome more.

“We’d like to have the largest turnout for a team in Baker,” Madden said.

Pledge sheets are available at Java Jungle, The Floor Store, Canyon Creek Candle Company and D & P Body Works. Pledges can also be made at www.walkamerica.org/mckalee

“My goal is to have a WalkAmerica here in John Day next year,” Madden said.

Info: 575-2814.

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