Junior biology major Ebonee Hayward represented Prairie View A&M University in Austin as a lobbyist for the March of Dimes Tuesday, Feb. 8.
A member of the Undergraduate Medical Academy, Hayward is an aspiring physician
+actively involved in the community.
Among other things, she works with the Honey Child education program, an on-campus group of pre-med students under the guidance of biology department head Dr. Harriette Howard-Lee Block and Sharon Livingston of the March of Dimes.
Honey Child is dedicated to educating African-American women with culturally relevant information related to prenatal care.
The main objective is to prevent premature births and low birth rates. Making sure that expectant mothers are healthy creates a better environment in which a child can grow and develop.
This area of healthcare is especially personal for Hayward, as she was born prematurely with a birth weight at three pounds, six ounces.
“Basically, our whole goal was to talk to the senators and representatives and lobby to keep the budget for infant screening, birth defect registry, and overall health screenings,” she said.
Infant screening is an effective means of detecting 29 of 30 diseases that may potentially affect infants.
Early detection is important because it will not only save lives; it also saves money on medical expenses down the line.