March of Dimes’ Darling Fiona Figurine

Posted February 15, 2022

March of Dimes’ Darling Fiona Represents Hope, Strength, and Will to Survive for Families Battling Infant Prematurity

Rookwood Pottery Donates a Portion of Proceeds from Darling Fiona to the Cincinnati Zoo and March of Dimes

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – (February 14, 2022) Sharing the message of, “I made it and you will too,” Rookwood Pottery has teamed up with March of Dimes Ohio and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to create a limited-edition Darling Fiona figurine that supports research, education and advocacy surrounding infant prematurity. One in 10 babies is born too soon. Fiona’s story of resilience and survival continues to be a symbol of hope and strength for families with infants overcoming obstacles related to preterm birth. Hand-painted by Rookwood artists, the purple bow adorning the neck of the Darling Fiona figurine pays homage to March of Dimes’ mission of supporting healthy moms and strong babies so that every family can have the best possible start. Available at Rookwood.com on February 15 (World Hippo Day), a portion of proceeds from Darling Fiona will be donated to the Cincinnati Zoo & March of Dimes.

A Light of Hope

Grace Rohlfs, mother of a 29-week-old premature baby and Senior Development Manager at March of Dimes Ohio, watched Fiona grow through her journey, overcoming obstacles, and pushing the limits of what anyone thought was possible. For Rohlfs, Fiona’s story served as a light of hope during her daughter’s NICU stay at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati.

“Things in the NICU can be pretty touch and go at times. To help manage expectations, our care team at Good Sam would always remind us not to say, “When we go home” but instead got us in the habit of saying “it’s almost time to go see Fiona,” says Rohlfs.

Fiona was born six-weeks premature. At her most critical time, the team at the Cincinnati Zoo found themselves turning to the NICU unit at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to assist with a special IV for when Fiona stopped eating. Like other NICU units around the world, Cincinnati Children’s team of health care specialists provide around-the-clock care to sick and premature babies, using special training and equipment to handle the most challenging of situations.

Leading the Fight for the Health of All Moms and Babies

For over 80 years, March of Dimes has supported moms and babies thrive and survive through education of medical professionals and the public, guiding moms through every stage of the pregnancy journey, and providing comfort and advocation to families in NICUs.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Cincinnati Zoo and Rookwood Pottery to create the March of Dimes’ Darling Fiona figurine. Her story of survival is the ultimate symbol of hope for many families here in our home state of Ohio – and for all those who have survived infant prematurity in their lifetime,” says Jill Donnelly, Director of Donor Development at March of Dimes Ohio.

To learn more about March of Dimes’ mission, please visit marchofdimes.org

Support of Cincinnati Zoo and March of Dimes Ohio

Rookwood is proud to support the Cincinnati Zoo and March of Dimes Ohio, with a portion of the proceeds from each March of Dimes’ Darling Fiona going back to each organization.

Pricing and Where to Buy:

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Amanda Crowe

[email protected]

  1. 513.833.4071
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