Team Bamboo joins walk to help premature babies

LIHUE — Some of them are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, said Laurie Cicotello, Tuesday morning at the Starbucks at Kukui Grove.

The volunteer with the March for Babies was speaking with a team member who watched Taislee Simao, 4, play with other March for Babies volunteers.

Taislee and her family is the March for Babies 2014 Ambassador and was on hand to greet team captains, team members and people interested in helping babies who are born prematurely.

“This is our first year doing this for Team Bamboo,” said Deeann Yamaguchi. “I only work at Bamboo Grill one day a week, but I’m a mother and we want to help.”

The March for Babies on Kauai will take place April 12 at Lydgate Park.

Proceeds from the March for Babies help local families like the Simaos.

Any baby born prematurely can have under-developed lungs which can lead to respiratory problems, shallow breathing, and pnemonia.

Taislee, busy chasing down toys dropping from the high table at Starbucks, was born prematurely at only 27 weeks of pregnancy.

Tipping the scales at just one pound, nine ounces, Taislee and her mother, Stephanie, needed to stay for more than two months in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at the Kapiolani Medical Center, arriving home just a few days ahead of Christmas.

Thanks to help from March for Babies, she recovered.

Bamboo Grill and Sushi in the Anchor Cove Shopping Center will serve as the site for the March for Babies Bank Night, April 10 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Macy’s is a national sponsor of the March for Babies, being joined by the event’s top corporate supporter, Kmart.

Teams are able to register by visiting www.marchforbabies.org, or by contacting Kristy Kinimaka, the Kauai March walk coordinator at 639-8276, or email kkinimaka@marchofdimes.com.

• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.