HAMILTON, Ontario—For the sixth year this Mother’s Day weekend, communities in Canada, the United States and the U.K. will host fundraising walks to improve maternal and child health in the developing world, where childbirth remains one of the leading causes of death among adolescent girls and women. The grassroots effort to support the work of Save the Mothers in East Africa comes at the dawn of a whole new era for the international charitable organization.
After 12 years of living and working in Uganda providing oversight to Save the Mothers (STM), founder and executive director Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese returns to her Canadian home and obstetric practice this spring. She will continue to be actively involved with Save the Mothers from the North American side as executive director until at least December 2017. “Her move home marks the beginning of a whole new era for Save the Mothers’ work in East Africa,” says STM managing director, Dr. Daniel Scott, “as local leadership in Uganda moves into her overseer’s role for East Africa. It is the very model on which Save the Mothers was developed—cultivating local, indigenous leaders to deliver lasting change to their communities.”
Meanwhile, the annual Mother’s Day weekend Walks demonstrate the reality that caring citizens can make a difference to global health problems, one step at a time. To date, concerned adults and school children in 15 communities have registered to participate. Additionally, individuals from around the world can participate on their own via the innovative netWALK.
Proceeds raised from each five kilometre Walk assist Save the Mothers to empower East African leaders to improve standards and practices of health care for pregnant women in their communities, helping to combat the scourge of maternal death that claims the lives of some 300,000 girls and women every year.
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For more information, contact:
Patricia Paddey, Communications Director,
Email: ppaddey@savethemothers.org
Phone: (905) 616-1326
Or visit: www.WalkForMothersDay.com