Team Tang-O-Tinez, featuring the Tang family, was the top fundraiser bringing in $35,000 at March of Dimes in Dallas.
Inspired by a Lamplighter School fourth-grader, one family set a new fundraising record by bringing in $35,000 during the recent March of Dimes. The national charitable walk, which takes place at cities all over the world, raises millions every year for research and support services for babies born prematurely.
Tyler Tang came into this world six weeks ahead of schedule in 2006. While he weighed a healthy 5-pounds, 7-ounces, he had a collapsed lung and severe respiratory distress, among other medical issues. Luckily, an enzyme that improves lung function proved lifesaving for little Tyler, and he made a full recovery. Use of that enzyme for premature babies was only discovered via research funded by the March of Dimes, which has directly contributed to an 11.7 percent drop in the death rate for babies born early.
Today, Tyler is thriving at Lamplighter School, but his parents, George and Charmaine, make sure to give back every year by supporting the foundation that helped save their son. This year, Lamplighter teachers Ana Owens and Anne Yarbrough joined the “Tang-O-Tinez” team and helped make them the top producing team of the entire Dallas event.
In total, Dallas raised $1.8 million on April 16, some of the nearly $200 million that will be raised this year, all of which will benefit the 15 million premature babies born in U.S. every year.
