Show Your Heart For Maternal Health

Mother’s Day is a little over a week away and with it comes thoughts of mothers – both our own and all those mothers in our lives and around the world. Sadly, Mother’s Day isn’t always a happy one for those who have lost their mothers, and those mothers who have lost children around the world. That’s why this Mother’s Day I’m happy to be partnering with ADRA Canada to stand up for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH).

Each day, more than 800 women worldwide die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. These deaths are most often the result of severe malnutrition and are preventable with proper health and care. In Canada, access to health care and nutrition ensures MNCH deficiencies are the exception, not the norm. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case in other parts of the world where MNCH is a major concern as maternal and child mortality rates are far too high.

The “Show Your Heart for Maternal Health” campaign is a part of the ADRA Canada’s EMBRACE project – a four-year initiative, primarily funded by the Government of Canada (learn more about the ADRA and their EMBRACE project at the bottom of this post)

#Heart4MaternalHealth – How You Can Participate:

This campaign was designed to develop a deeper understanding of global MNCH in Canada and to inspire us all to get involved! To participate, share a photo or video with your hands placed over your belly button in the shape of a heart and use the hashtag #Heart4MaternalHealth just like those I’ve shared below.

Nearly all maternal and child deaths are preventable and by helping to improve MNCH, we can help to save lives.

If babies don’t receive enough nutrition within the first 1000 days of life, the brain does not develop properly and this is irreversible.

In Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Rwanda, the most significant cause of maternal and child mortality are high rates of acute and chronic malnutrition of mothers and children under five and insufficient quality and access to healthcare.

This funny looking heart is actually a mudra, Kalesvara Mudra to be specific. Think of a mudra like yogi sign language. This one is meant to help you clear conflicting thoughts, helps to make us calmer and encourages optimistic change. And personally, I think the mudra for optimistic change is a wonderful heart shape for this campaign!

I can’t wait to see your #Heart4MaternalHealth photos and videos filling my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feed! If you want to use the Kalesvara Mudra, make your hands into a heart shape with your middle fingertips pressing together above the heart. <3

Follow Heart 4 Maternal Health on Social media at:

• Facebook: Heart 4 Maternal Health
• Instagram: @Heart4MaternalHealth
• Twitter: @4maternalhealth

About ADRA

ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) seeks to identify and address social injustice and deprivation in developing countries. ADRA invests in the potential of individuals through community development initiatives targeting Food Security, Economic Development, Primary Health and Basic Education. ADRA’s emergency management initiatives provide aid to disaster survivors. Learn more on their website www.ADRA.ca

About Project EMBRACE

EMBRACE (Enhancing Maternal, Child and Newborn Health in Remote Areas through Revitalized Health Care and Community Engagement) aims to improve and save the lives of mothers and children in remote and extremely vulnerable areas of Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Rwanda by improving access to quality health services and enhancing nutrition. In addition, the program is designed to help deepen Canadians’ understanding of global maternal and child health. EMBRACE will contribute directly to the improved health of approximately 100,000, including approximately 33,000 children from groups with additional vulnerabilities.

For more information on the Heart for Maternal Health campaign, please visit www.heartformaternalhealth.ca

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for the “Show Your Heart for Maternal Health” Campaign with ADRA Canada. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.