March of Dimes, the leading non-profit organization for pregnancy and baby health, is pleased to announce the 2013 honorees for their 8th annual March of Dimes Celebration of Babies: A Hollywood Luncheon, taking place December 6th at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. The 2013 honorees include Jennifer Lopez, A+E Networks’ Nancy Dubuc and Dr. Balaji Govindaswami. Celebration of Babies is chaired by Jimmy Horowitz, President of Universal Pictures, and his wife Joi.
March of Dimes Celebration of Babies will bring together and recognize celebrities and prominent individuals in the entertainment community who are celebrating the recent birth of a child and are role models for the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies by helping moms have full-term pregnancies, with the goal that one day all babies will be born healthy.
Golden Globe and Grammy nominated entertainer and businesswoman Jennifer Lopez will receive the 2013 March of Dimes Grace Kelly Award, which recognizes role-model celebrity parents who share the March of Dimes commitment to healthy pregnancies and families.
“I am thrilled and honored to be receiving the March of Dimes 'Grace Kelly Award' and to continue her legacy of compassion for mothers and children” said Lopez. "As a mother myself, I am aware of the importance of healthful pregnancies and babies and I have long been a supporter of March of Dimes and their invaluable work."
Nancy Dubuc, President and CEO of A+E Networks, will be honored by March of Dimes as the 2013 Inspiring Woman of the Year for her accomplishments as a leader in the entertainment industry and as a dedicated mother of two.
“I am honored to be recognized alongside Jennifer Lopez and Dr. Govindaswami," said Nancy Dubuc, President and CEO of A+E Networks. “As a mother of two, I am thrilled to support the remarkable work of the March of Dimes in order to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.”
Dr. Balaji Govindaswami, MD, MPH, will receive the 2013 Advocacy & Government Affairs Volunteer Champion Award. Dr. Govindaswami is Chief of Newborn Medicine and Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Dr. Govindaswami is a leading national expert on congenital heart defect screening. He worked tirelessly with March of Dimes to pass legislation ensuring all babies born in California will be screened for heart defects before leaving the hospital.
President of Universal Pictures and Celebration of Babies event chair Jimmy Horowitz said: “Honoring Jennifer and Nancy this year is a dream come true for everyone involved with the Celebration of Babies and I’m confident March of Dimes can count on another year of generosity from Hollywood at the luncheon. I’m proud that our industry has been so quick to get involved in this important cause and I want to thank this year’s honorees and the March of Dimes for their tireless efforts that make this special event possible.”
Nick Cannon will serve as master of ceremonies for the exclusive luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Event co-chairs include David B. Hill, Kevin Huvane, Benny Medina, Steve Mosko, Randy Phillips, Abbe Raven, Peter Roth, Bert Salke and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. Host committee members include Amanda Anka & Jason Bateman, Sarah & Ari Emanuel, Leah Remini, Molly & Jay Sures, Reese Witherspoon & Jim Toth, among others.
March of Dimes has long-standing ties to the Hollywood community. Since its founding in 1938, supporters over the years have included Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Eddie Cantor, Grace Kelly, Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bill Cosby, to name a few.
In 2012 Celebration of Babies raised over $1,000,000 for March of Dimes.
The 8th Annual Celebration of Babies is presented by A+E Networks. Other sponsors include Deluxe (Benefactor Sponsor) and Collins Avenue (Reception Sponsor).