It’s World Prematurity Day

world-prematurity-day

Today is the 5th annual World Prematurity Day.

Vincennes University’s Beckes Student Union and Aquatic Center will join New York City’s Empire State Building and Niagra Falls by turning purple today.

The Light the World Purple event is to honor the 1 in 10 babies in the United States born prematurely each year. To do this, prominent buildings and landmarks nationwide will be shining in purple light to observe World Prematurity Day.

An estimated 15 million babies around the world are born premature each year and nearly one million of them do not survive their early birth. Although the United States has seen sustained improvement in its preterm birth rate, it has one of the highest rates of preterm birth of any industrialized country. That’s why the March of Dimes is working to give every baby a fighting chance.