ARDMORE – Monday was National Prematurity Awareness day. But the March of Dimes organization is dedicating the entire month of November to raising the awareness of premature births. Shelby Levins explains what one local chapter is doing to fight for premies.

Premature births are not uncommon. The March of Dimes averages about 12 percent of babies are not carried to term, but the cause of many premature births remains unknown. That's why local members of the Arbuckle March of Dimes Division say awareness and research funding are key.

Like most young boys, Aftyn Woolly is full of energy and always ready to show off his newest trick. It's hard to believe just five years ago Aftyn was confined to a neonatal intensive care unit. He was born seven weeks premature.

"When your baby cries, you're supposed to be able to comfort them, hold them, take care of them, provide for them, when they're premature you can't do that," Aftyn’s mother, Melissa Woolly, said.

Aftyn’s lungs were so undeveloped he had to live off a ventilator. His mother says Aftyn is the healthy 5-year-old he is today because of drug therapy funded by the March of Dimes.

"That right there was the main thing that saved Aftyn is being able to receive the drug therapy."

Melissa Woolly is hardly alone, fellow March of Dimes member Cindy Crane has a one year old son who spent more than a week and a half in a nic-u, funded in part by the March of Dimes.

"Without those nic-u's some of those babies wouldn't have a chance,” Crane said.

The March of Dimes organization says both Oklahoma and Texas rank higher than the national average in premature births, with more than 13% of babies in both states being premature. The non-profit says across the county more than 500,000 preemie babies are born each year.

"We want everybody to be aware that this is a national crisis," Nancy Miller the Director of the Arbuckle Division said.

The local Arbuckle Division is already planning for next year's March of Dimes annual walk in Ardmore. Woolly says that's why she shares her story, to simply raise awareness and help raise funds for the future.

"If I can help one parent or one mother to not have to experience this by education then I've done my part,” Wooly said.

The March of Dimes says the best thing for expecting mothers is to seek pre-natal care, but the organization also reports the cause of about half of the premature births remains unsolved.

If you would like to learn more about March of Dimes, click here – http://www.marchofdimes.com/