“I wouldn’t take anything for Chesney, but I would never have dreamed what it would be like to care for her.” Kari Forsyth of Lester, mother of premature baby.



Chesney Forsyth was so tiny when she was born, she could wear her father’s wedding ring as an armband.

Born about 31/2 months premature on April 1, 2005, she weighed only 1 pound, 12 ounces.

“We couldn’t touch her for a week and a half, and we couldn’t hold her for a month,” said her mother, 23-year-old Kari Forsyth of Lester.

She and husband Jeremiah, 24, could only peer at her in her open crib and convey their love by face and by voice. Chesney spent the first 72 days of her life in the hospital.

Today – at 19 1/2 months – the curly-headed, blue-eyed blond is a perpetual motion machine. Still small at 18 pounds, modern medicine could not do for her what nature needs time to achieve. Like most babies born premature, Chesney has lung and breathing problems. She also has mild cerebral palsy.

It is for Chesney – and all of the preemies to come – that the March of Dimes Mountain Lakes Division in Huntsville and West Limestone High School Future Business Leaders of America and will try to raise money Tuesday. They will host activities around the Limestone County Courthouse Square in order to mark Prematurity Awareness Day.

At 5:30 p.m., they will string pink and blue lights on the courthouse to honor babies born premature. Other activities include music from radio station WZYP-FM’s boom box, a moon bounce for the kids, face painting, burritos from Tortilla Blanco, hot chocolate from Pablo’s on Market, a table with March of Dimes merchandise for sale.

Stores will stay late for shoppers.

“We want to do it for the babies,” said Lerrin Sutton, 18, of Athens, who is District 1 vice president of the Alabama FBLA and the president of the West Limestone FBLA. “I don’t know how realistic it is, but we have a goal of raising $5,000.”

Kathleen’s Corner will have March of Dimes information and – taped to the storefront window – some of Chesney’s preemie clothing and photos of her at 26 weeks. The east side of the square will be blocked off for the event.

Kari will speak about their experience trying to care for Chesney over the past 11/2 years. Other speakers are Athens Mayor Dan Williams and Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert as well as a spokeswoman from the March of Dimes and Sutton.

“People knew about the March of Dimes as a national organization, but we want to raise awareness about people right here in this community who have premature babies and that there is a March of Dimes in Huntsville,” Sutton said.

More than a half a million babies are born prematurely each year, and that number continues to grow, according to the March of Dimes. The organization pays for programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies, according to its Web site.



Life at Chesney’s house

It takes a lot of people to care for babies like Chesney. She sees occupational, speech and physical therapists. They come four times a week one week and twice a week the next. She also sees a behavioral therapist, five doctors and goes to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville every three months. Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance covers much of the cost.

Babies born premature take an emotional toll on a family.

In Chesney’s case, Kari is the primary caretaker at home because Jeremiah, 24, a machinist for International Diesel in Madison, works four days and is off three.

“I wouldn’t take anything for Chesney, but I would never have dreamed what it would be like to care for her,” Kari said. “We’re just thankful. We go to CP (cerebral palsy) events and some of children can’t move any part of their body.”

These days, Chesney gets around by walker, but she’s starting to take steps and to babble. “She constantly wants to be the center of attention and she’s very sociable,” her mother said. “The only thing is, she cries because of the CP. It causes tightness in the muscles.

As long as you are playing with her, it’s fine.

Although the couple gets weary sometimes, they believe the situation will improve.

“It’s supposed to get better when she’s three,” Kari said. That’s when Chesney can go to county preschool.