The NACDS Foundation served as Title Sponsor of the 2017 March of Dimes Gourmet Gala. Pictured here are U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and his wife, Anna; NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger; and NACDS President & CEO and NACDS Foundation Chairman Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.

As the chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation, I had the opportunity to deliver remarks at the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala on Tuesday, May 23. The NACDS Foundation served as Title Sponsor of the event – which celebrated its 35th anniversary.

I want to share with you the words that I was honored to say on that night, because they reflect the tremendous engagement of the NACDS Foundation’s supporters, partners and Board of Directors members in a cause that aligns directly with the March of Dimes’ mission: prevention.

I think you will see what I mean in the remarks that follow, which I hope you will take as a sincere “thank you” for your engagement and interest in the NACDS Foundation:

As a sponsor of tonight’s event, I can tell you that we are just delighted to support this great organization – particularly at such a crucial time in healthcare. I’m joined tonight by Kathleen Jaeger, President of the NACDS Foundation, and others from our staff team.

Many of you may not be familiar with us, so we’ll just tell you a bit about our work. I think when you hear it you’ll easily understand why we are so excited to be here.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation is a non-profit organization that funds research projects that explore new ways to help patients, often involving pharmacy care. Our Foundation is constantly searching for new healthcare ideas.

Now, a big part of our work involves prevention. And that’s where our missions align so nicely. As you know, the March of Dimes improves the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. In our work, we also explore ways to improve patient care so that preventable illnesses can be avoided.

One of the Foundation’s current research projects involves screening patients for hepatitis C. Just last week, a study revealed that hepatitis C infections among pregnant women nearly doubled in five years in the U.S., often with serious implications for their babies.

Hepatitis C can go undetected and untreated for years. That’s why screenings are so important. And that’s just one of about a dozen research projects we have underway.

Our philanthropic efforts last year included working with the March of Dimes to prevent the Zika Virus, which continues to be a serious threat.

There’s an old fashioned saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. New healthcare challenges are emerging, but that old saying is as true as it has ever been. Tonight, we are proud to join all of you in supporting the March of Dimes in its important work to protect mothers and their babies.