Jacob Matthew

Duben, Tyler August Duben and Lea Marie Duben will be leading the March

of Dimes WalkAmerica this Saturday. They have been chosen as Youth Ambassadors

for 2002. Through the years, youth ambassadors have played an important

role in spreading the message about the March of Dimes fight to save babies.

The Peachtree

City triplets were born 10 weeks prematurely May 21 of last year. Born

just two minutes apart, Jacob weighed in at 2 lbs. 14 oz; Tyler was 3

lbs.; and Lea weighed 2 lbs. 6 oz. They were at Southern Regional Hospital's

Woman's Life Center for five weeks. Parents Jeanette and Matt Duben were

on hand to help feed and look after their babies and to begin the bonding

process needed for around-the-clock care.

When born,

they were all suffering from respiratory distress syndrome and had to

be intubated and placed on a ventilator. RDS is the inability for the

small sacs in the babies' lungs to re-inflate due to a lack of material

called surfactant. Premature babies are often not yet able to produce

this substance in sufficient quantities and it has to be given to them

through their windpipes.

"We owe

so much to the March of Dimes," said Jeanette. "The years of

research and support by so many others allowed our babies to have the

instant care, diagnosis and medicines they needed instantly."

The babies

had to be fed every three hours when they first came home, and in order

to introduce them to the great outdoors, they were often fed on the front

porch. They are walked twice a day in their all-in-one stroller and their

faces light up as soon as they head outside.

Matt said that

they intend to walk the entire 6.2 miles unless Jacob, Tyler or Lea have

other ideas along the way. "We are helping the March of Dimes save

babies," said the Dubens, "and we want everyone in Fayette County

to help us save them, too."

Registration

begins at 9 a.m. and the Walk is at 10 a.m. It will begin at Shakerag

Knoll, in the amphitheater complex, and the route will take participants

through the golf car paths of Peachtree City and end back up at Shakerag

Knoll where everyone will enjoy refreshments and relaxation.