Tag Archives: health

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Pregnancy — a blessing or a death threat?

12/09/2010 Nativegrl77

CARE -- You can help stop mothers from dying

Your gift can help mothers live and create bright futures for generations to come.

Francisca gave birth at home because there was no health center nearby in rural Nicaragua. She was lucky — she didn’t endure complications during pregnancy or childbirth. But hundreds of thousands of women and their babies are not as fortunate. Almost every minute of the day a pregnant woman needlessly dies because she can’t get trained medical assistance in time.

Inspired by delivering her own child, Francisca became a community midwife. She’s delivered dozens of healthy babies. Thanks to CARE‘s comprehensive midwife training programs, Francisca’s also saving the lives of mothers. You can help, too, by making a tax-deductible gift to support CARE’s work around the world.

Pregnancy should be a time to celebrate, not a time to fear death. But, in some poor countries, one in seven women die during pregnancy and childbirth. These women aren’t dying because the health community doesn’t know how to prevent their deaths. They are dying because the world doesn’t care enough. Do you?

Women’s lives should be saved because they matter — as humans, as mothers and as valuable contributors to society. At CARE, we’ve learned that healthy mothers are one of the keys to overcoming poverty — they can give their children the foundation they need to chart their way out of poverty for good. Healthy moms have a better chance at giving birth to babies who can thrive and grow up strong, and healthy moms are more likely to earn an income and send their children to school.

That’s why CARE made reducing maternal mortality one of our top priorities. From training women like Francisca to be midwives to educating families about reproductive health, CARE helps save lives and empowers women to create a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Let’s not leave surviving pregnancy, childbirth and infancy to chance. Your tax-deductible contribution can help save the lives of poor mothers and their children — and create a healthier, more prosperous society for all.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE

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A Mammogram Never Felt So Good

10/14/2010 Nativegrl77

Who would have thought that a mammogram could ever be made a little more pleasant?

Thanks to some of the provisions of the new health care law that took effect last month, now, when you enroll in a new health plan, you no longer have co-pays for certain preventive health care services, including mammograms.

Keeping your family, friends, and co-workers healthy can be as easy as a click of a button. Share our e-card in honor of National Mammography Day, and remind those you are close to about the importance of getting their annual mammograms.

And check out our latest fact sheets to find out more about what there is to like for women in the new health care law.

Sincerely,

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. We thank you for all the ways you have helped us achieve so much, and we need your continued support to continue to make gains for women and their families. Please donate today.

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What you can do to fight poverty

10/03/2010 Nativegrl77

3 ways you can fight poverty -- $3 million can: help save lives -- help educate girls -- help women start their own businesses -- Donate now

Fatima didn’t have a chance.

Instead of learning how to read and write as a child, she fetched water and herded livestock. At the age of 15, her father forced her to marry. Today, she is the mother of eight children.

Although Fatima and her family struggle to make ends meet, she didn’t see the value of sending her eldest daughter to school. “I told myself that she will get married like me and she does not need education,” Fatima said.

Fatima’s daughter faced the same grim future as herself — forced to live a life that wasn’t on her own terms. When a girl marries young, she usually drops out of school to start a family, but faces a greater chance of dying in childbirth. She’s also less likely to earn enough to support herself and her family and keep them healthy. One generation follows the next, locked in a vicious cycle of poverty.

You can help break this cycle. By making a tax-deductible gift today, you’ll help empower women and girls in the world’s poorest countries to access the education and resources they need to lift themselves and their families out of poverty for good.

Fatima is on her way. She joined a CARE-sponsored women’s group and learned to read and write. A whole new world opened before her eyes, and Fatima realized she had the power to change the course of her daughter’s future. With a basic education, her daughter could chart her own path. Fatima’s daughter is in school today — and she’s learning leadership skills with CARE that will serve her for her entire life.

When you invest in empowering poor women and girls like Fatima and her daughter, they can create a promising future for themselves, their families and their whole communities! Fatima took the first step. Now it’s your turn.

We’ve set an ambitious goal of raising $3 million online between now and December 31, and we invite you to give to CARE today to help us reach it.

Here are examples of how far a gift to CARE can go overseas:

$25 can provide a village savings and loan group with start-up materials to help put women and families on the path to financial empowerment
$49 can send a girl to school for a year
$62 can train a community health worker to provide care and hospital referrals to expectant mothers

As you can see, with the support of people like you, CARE can reach thousands of girls and women. Please give today so that CARE can continue helping women like Fatima who are creating a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE

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We’re forever curious–are you?

09/30/2010 Nativegrl77

Union of Concerned Scientists - Scientists are curious for life.

Do you remember what early fascinations captured you as a child? Whether it’s inspired by the stars in the sky or a field of flowers, curiosity about the world is the beginning of knowledge—and science.

Scientific curiosity is the key to solving our world’s most crucial environmental, health, and security problems—such as global warming. Yet, those who have a vested interested in denying global warming are trying to kill the public’s curiosity, and thus squelch the truth. And we can’t let that happen.

Support our work to spread the truth—and spread the curiosity.
Become a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists by making a donation today.

Support the Union of Concerned Scientists in our efforts to bring sound science to the public and spread the curiosity and the truth about global warming. Click here to become a member today.

Your donation allows us to be an independent voice for the policy changes and science-based solutions that are so desperately needed to preserve our world—and all of its amazing curiosities.

Forever curious,

Kevin Knobloch
President

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world.

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Tell Secretary Sebelius that Vulnerable Women Deserve Abortion Coverage

09/26/2010 Nativegrl77

National Women's Law Center

Stand Up Against Blanket Abortion Coverage Prohibition

Tell Secretary Sebelius not to undermine women’s reproductive health in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans.

Remember how angry women got when we were told we couldn’t use our own private dollars to obtain coverage of abortion care? Well it’s back. The Administration decided — without justification in law or policy — to ban abortion coverage in the newly created Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans.

It is still bad policy and your voice is needed.

Tell Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius how this harmful restriction undermines women’s access to reproductive health care now. Submit your comments today.

If adopted, this ban would prevent women with serious pre-existing medical conditions — like cancer or diabetes — from getting the abortion coverage they need to protect their health. And it will not even allow women the ability to pay for such coverage with their own private premium dollars.

Comments are due this Tuesday, September 28, so take action and tell Secretary Sebelius to stand up for the health of these vulnerable women and to reject this dangerous policy once and for all.

The National Women’s Law Center will not rest until the restrictions on abortion coverage are fixed. Thank you for continuing to fight with us to protect women’s health.

Sincerely,Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Help us continue to protect women’s reproductive rights and expand the opportunities for women and their families. Support our work today.