On Saturday, May 17, 2025, a reunion five years in the making will take place during the March of Dimes Oklahoma’s March for Babies event. In this latest installment of our Community Leaders series, we talked with Laura Rudicel, Director of Marketing at OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark, about the significance of this event and her role in it.
March of Dimes
Founded in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the March of Dimes (MOD) is a nonprofit that has worked for nearly a century to improve the health of mothers and babies. The MOD’s mission to ensure healthy and safe pregnancies and births has made a significant impact in local, national and global communities.
“He was just a tiny little human”
In May 2017, after a normal pregnancy, Laura and her husband, KWTV News 9 meteorologist Justin Rudicel, unexpectedly became a part of Oklahoma’s statistics on premature births. Their first child, Colton, arrived just shy of 37 weeks.
“He was very small: five pounds, four ounces,” said Laura. “His head circumference was 3%. So he was just a tiny little human.”
Babies born before 37 weeks or weighing under 5 lbs, 8 oz undergo a car seat tolerance screening (CSTS). The CSTS is a way to check how well a baby, especially a premature one, can handle sitting up in a car seat before heading home from the hospital. During this test, the baby’s heart rate, breathing and oxygen levels are monitored while they’re in their car seat for 90 to 120 minutes.
As Laura and Justin finished packing to go home, they received unexpected news: Colton had failed his car seat tolerance test, and his blood oxygen levels were low, requiring monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
According to a 2024 March of Dimes report, Oklahoma’s premature (before 37 weeks pregnant) birth rate of 11% ranks among the worst in the nation. In Oklahoma County, the rate is 11.2%. Native American and Black women in Oklahoma County are more likely to experience premature births (16.0% and 15.9%, respectively) than other women.
Colton remained in the NICU for two days. Laura describes the experience as traumatic.
“As a brand-new parent, I felt guilty. I felt like I had done stuff wrong. I felt like I got PTSD after the experience because I started getting a thousand questions because of his size. And it was just scary.”
The MOD reports that almost 40% of NICU parents develop PTSD within the first month after birth, with around 25% still experiencing it up to a year later. The MOD provides educational resources for NICU parents experiencing postpartum stress, anxiety and depression.
“This wasn’t our first rodeo”
In 2020, the couple met Dr. Trent Tipple, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health’s chief of neonatology, who had recently relocated from Indiana. Justin, an Indiana native, was wearing an Indianapolis Colts shirt. Dr. Tipple asked him about it and they quickly bonded over their shared connection.
In June 2020, Laura went into labor with their second child, Harper, at 35 weeks. Given her history, Dr. Tipple was on standby for the birth. Her birth brought the challenges of another premature birth and NICU stay amid the uncertainties of COVID-19.
“Thankfully, the second time around with her being even earlier, this wasn’t our first rodeo,” Laura said. “We knew what to expect. There was a drastic difference between experience number one and number two. And I 100% attribute that to Dr. Tipple, who is also a NICU parent and just how kind he is.”
Aware that a NICU stay was likely, Laura was able to proactively communicate her preferences to the nurses. Unlike with Colton, where she learned later that he had been given formula instead of her planned exclusive breastfeeding, she was able to tell the nurses about her choice for Harper ahead of time. This allowed her to pump milk to feed Harper during her eight-day NICU stay.
According to the MOD, mothers who have a history of premature birth are at greater risk of having another. They provide information about how to address the changeable aspects of that risk. MOD also provides training for NICU staff on research-based best practices for caring for premature babies and their caregivers.
The long-awaited NICU reunion
Nearly five years after Harper’s premature birth, Dr. Tipple reconnected with Laura through LinkedIn, mentioning he had been following Justin on television since Harper’s NICU stay. He also noted seeing Laura in media coverage of OKANA’s opening.
“He said that it was his turn to be the chair and represent OU Children’s. He asked if Justin and I would co-chair. With Harper being one of his very first patients, he thought it would be a really cool thing to come full circle five years later.”
Laura is proud to co-chair the March of Babies, which will reunite the Rudicels and fellow NICU families. She and Justin are leveraging their personal experiences and platforms to promote awareness and advocate for maternal and infant health. She is proud that the Chickasaw Nation, who developed OKANA, is the signature sponsor for the event. For Laura, representing an “incredible resort and water park that supports families” naturally ties in with co-chairing an event focused on families; ones with whom her own family shares a bond.
“Support for families is pretty critical”
For families experiencing preterm birth, Laura encourages leaning on your support network (your partner, family, friends) to cope with the stress. She also suggests getting as much information about resources as you can. The MOD provides a great deal of community education resources on its website and social media. Other suggestions include connecting with your local health department and health care provider for resources such as WIC to ensure proper nutrition and health for mom and baby.
Laura encourages families in the OKC metro area to support the MOD and the March for Babies because many in our community have personally experienced pregnancy-related challenges or know someone who has.
“Whether it’s time, money or support for families is pretty critical. Whether it’s by showing up to the event on May 17 and being a part of a team or just by giving generously, it all helps. You could also volunteer during the walk.”
She adds, “there are opportunities for corporate organizations that want to give back in terms of corporate sponsorships. And if you are a person who feels led to connect with MOD Oklahoma, if you’re able to donate through your employer, that’s wildly impactful as well.”
The March for Babies Oklahoma walk takes place on Saturday, May 17 at Scissortail Park (300 SW 7th St). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10:30 a.m. It’s not too late to create or join a team.
Rudicel Family Q & A
Ideal family activity at home: Grilling a great steak and having movie night out on the patio if it’s beautiful weather.
Favorite family activities in the OKC metro: Going to festivals, being active, trying new foods.
Kids’ favorite activities: Colton plays soccer, flag football and basketball. I’m “that” mom that is screaming and cheering for my son. Harper was in dance. She’s starting gymnastics and swimming soon.
Unique work experience: Interning at CNN’s “Nancy Grace Show” before graduating from college.
Take home message for new moms experiencing NICU: Trust your mom gut!
