/EINPresswire.com/ -- SAN ANTONIO, TX--(Marketwired - February 09, 2017) - Mission Pharmacal Company ("Mission") celebrated the kick off of its 2017 fundraising campaign in support of the March of Dimes Foundation®, and it's signature fundraiser March for Babies. The March of Dimes is committed to a world in which every baby gets a fighting chance. The company has been a national supporter of the March of Dimes since 2010 and during that time has contributed more than $2.1 million dollars to the organization through corporate sponsorship and fundraising efforts.

March for Babies, one of the nation's favorite walking events, funds programs and research to address the health issues that threaten pregnant women and babies. This internal, employee-driven campaign is one element of the company's overall partnership with the March of Dimes.

"There are many reasons Mission Pharmacal is continuing our partnership with MOD," states Mission Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing Natalie Sirjuesingh. "First and foremost, we believe in March of Dimes' work to help every mother and baby. We believe that raising funds that help achieve their goals is simply the right thing to do. This is the eighth year of the partnership and I am proud of the commitment we've shown as a company and how our employees continue to rally to embrace and support the cause. It truly is an 'all hands on deck' effort for us -- from Mission owners and leadership team members, to the workers in our manufacturing plants, to the employees throughout all of the Mission Family of Companies."

On a national level, any individual who raises $1,000 or more through March for Babies will be named a Champion for Babies. Mission employs many who have earned this notable distinction, and as a corporation Mission was the second highest ranked company in terms of 2016 March of Dimes fundraising throughout the San Antonio region.

While most March for Babies fundraisers are set for April 29 and 30, events are held in nearly 500 communities nationwide. While Mission employees will participate in several cities, the company will have a more formalized presence at the San Antonio march on Saturday, May 13. That event will also serve as the culmination for the company's March for Babies fundraising campaign.

Mission's involvement with the March of Dimes extends well beyond March for Babies support, however. Last year the company, makers of the CitraNatal® Family of prescription prenatal vitamins and Dr. Smith's® consumer baby line of products, served as Platinum Sponsor for the New Jersey and Georgia MOD Annual Nurse of the Year (NOTY) Awards events and sponsored two specific NOTY awards categories, Women's Health and Pediatrics.

More than 380,000, or 1 in 10 babies, are born too soon in the United States each year. Preterm birth (birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is the number one killer of babies, and babies who survive early birth often face an increased risk of a lifetime of health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, and more. In late 2016, the March of Dimes issued its annual Premature Birth Report Card, providing a look at how well the United States, each state, and counties in each state across the country are doing to reduce the serious problem of premature birth. For the first time in eight years, the rate of premature birth has gotten worse, driven by higher rates among specific racial and ethnic groups as well as geographic areas. The U.S. received a "C" grade on the report card, falling short of the organization's goal of reducing the preterm birth rate.

"There are many parallels between our two organizations," says Sirjuesingh. "For more than 70 years Mission has pioneered innovative products, many of which were specifically formulated to meet the needs of women and babies. During almost that exact same timeframe, March of Dimes has continually supported research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs that have helped improve the health of babies. It seems like a natural fit to have our two organizations work together for a common good."

About the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and health information, visit marchofdimes.org and nacersano.marchofdimes.org. To participate in our annual signature fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit the shareourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit peristats.org. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About Mission Pharmacal Company
Mission Pharmacal Company is a privately held pharmaceutical company based in San Antonio, Texas. For more than seven decades, the company has been improving the lives of people through every stage of life by identifying unmet healthcare needs and delivering innovative, high-quality prescription, over-the-counter, and dietary supplement products to meet these needs using only the purest ingredients and FDA-approved methods of manufacturing. Mission is recognized as a pioneer and leader in the therapeutic areas of women's health and urology and also offers leading products through its pediatric, dermatology, primary care, and long-term care service lines. Using an innovative business model, Mission has created wholly-owned subsidiaries, BioComp Pharma, Inc., a generic drug marketer; Alamo Pharma Services, Inc., a specialized contract sales organization; ProSolus, Inc., a transdermal drug developer and manufacturer; Espada Dermatology, Inc., a consumer dermatology division; as well as BexR Logistix, LLC and their subsidiary company, EPIC Fulfillment, Inc., the logistics and fulfillment arms of Mission, to diversify its offerings and build forward-thinking partnerships with other pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Mission is proud to support the March of Dimes Foundation®, the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.

To learn more, please visit missionpharmacal.com.

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