Vigil To Raise Awareness Of Maternal Mortality Rates

PROSPECT PARK – Brooklyn-based non-profit Mimsi International will host a pink candlelight vigil on the eve of Mother’s Day to raise awareness of global maternal mortality rates, particularly for women in Haiti.

Pregnancy is the most common cause of injury and death to women in Haiti, according to a release announcing the event, while in the United States women have a greater risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications than in many other “high-income” countries, according to the New York Times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) estimated that there were 18 deaths per 100,000 births in the U.S. in 2014.

The Mimsi International event will take place in Prospect Park’s Concert Grove where families who have experienced maternal loss will share their stories. Along with a candlelight vigil walk, there will be musical performances and food provided by local Haitian eateries. Attendees will able to purchase a pink LED candle, a “symbol to guide mothers around the globe to safety,” at the event.

“We’ve reduced the maternal mortality rate from 1 in 83 women dying to 1 in 1,300 in Haiti,” said Dr. Winfred Tovar in the release, “but there is still so much work for us to do—both in the U.S. and in Haiti.” Tovar, an obstetrician and gynecoligist specializing in high-risk obstetrics, founded Mimsi International in 2014. The non-profit organization trains volunteers in providing prenatal care to women living in rural Haiti and other developing countries. Learn more at mimsi.org.

Mother’s Day Eve Pink Candlelight Vigil
Saturday, May 11, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Prospect Park, Concert Grove