An Interview with Christy Turlington Burns as No Woman, No Cry Hits the Shelves (& a Giveaway)
No Woman, No Cry Trailer
Last week we put the Organization Spotlight on Every Mother Counts – an organization founded by maternal health advocate Christy Turlington Burns, whose goal is to educate and bring to awareness to an epidemic of huge proportions. One where each minute a woman dies due to complications arising from childbirth. Sadly, the majority of these deaths are preventable.
Today marks an important day for Every Mother Counts and we wanted to share the news. It is the official DVD release date for No Woman, No Cry, the directorial debut for Turlington Burns, which provides a look into at-risk pregnancies in different parts of the world – including the US. (You can read Christy’s thoughts about the tragic loss of Michal Lura Friedman here).
In an exclusive interview with The Conscious Perspective, Turlington Burns took a few minutes to provide us with a glimpse into the future for Every Mother Counts, and shared her thoughts on the release of No Woman, No Cry to a large audience as it hits the shelves.
TCP: What is next for Every Mother Counts? Any major goals/films, etc. in the works?
CTB: “Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign (launched in 2010) designed to increase education for and support of maternal, newborn and child health. Every Mother Counts seeks to engage new audiences to understand the challenges and solutions while encouraging them to take action.
Our plans for 2012 and beyond are to continue with this mission, using the film and other educational tools, including short films, on our website Everymothercounts.org to highlight individuals and initiatives making an impact around the world. We also plan to share more ways for people to participate in the global effort to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality.”
TCP: Could you please share a few words on what having the DVD released and available to so many individuals means to Every Mother Counts?
CTB: “I’m thrilled that the DVD of No Woman, No Cry will be available tomorrow (12/6). The film has been seen by over a million people since its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2010 with various screenings and television broadcasts around the world but our population is now 7 billion so that’s a mere fraction of us. I hope that the DVD release will enable an even wider audience to watch and learn about global maternal health and that the film continues to inspire audiences to engage.”
In honor of the release of the DVD, we are giving away a copy of No Woman, No Cry. We hope that the winner will host a mini-screening in their home, and hopefully this will continue to grow. Be sure to follow Every Mother Counts on Twitter @EveryMomCounts and join their Facebook page here.
TO ENTER
1. Simply leave a comment below! Say hello, share your thoughts on the subject, anything at all.
2. Spread the word about the cause (this will not be monitored, but we trust that you will 
Contest is now closed & congrats to Maria!
*Contest open to residents of the US & Canada*
Thank you, and be sure to spread the word about No Woman, No Cry which can be purchased here as of today.
Organization Spotlight ~ Every Mother Counts
It is estimated that every 90 seconds a woman dies giving birth taking away her chance to be there for every milestone and treasured moment in her child’s life. (source)
Both Heidi and I experienced “Major” complications during our deliveries, and we agree that although we were terrified the very moment things went wrong, we felt equally at ease being surrounded by nurses and doctors who were providing quality medial care that we were lucky enough to have access to. As a result of these experiences, we were compelled to put the Organization Spotlight on Every Mother Counts, founded by former Supermodel and advocate Christy Turlington Burns.
Christy’s birth complications from her first pregnancy inspired her, when pregnant for a second time, to visit a remote village where mothers had to walk miles to obtain clean water – their only opportunity to receive prenatal and postnatal care. These two experiences were instrumental in her decision to learn about maternal health.
Through her documentary No Woman No Cry, Christy was able to bring to the forefront an epidemic impacting hundreds of thousands of women each year by sharing the stories of at risk pregnant women in several regions, including the United States. In the film she shes light on the fact that this epidemic is not limited to third world countries. Her work continues through advocacy and education by herself and the countless individuals and organizations inspired by her cause.
Various issues including extreme poverty, lack of quality healthcare, complications following childbirth, challenges within the healthcare system, and policies related to healthcare and a lack in family planning and reproductive health services all contribute to this astounding rate of maternal deaths. More astounding is the fact that 90% of these deaths are preventable.
As a mother it’s difficult to fathom not being there to help my child navigate a world so different than the world she knew when she was growing in my womb. To think of all of the mothers who do not have this opportunity is heart-breaking.
Christy shares the one commonality between all mothers; that experience is “birth”. By using it as a catalyst to bring people together she seeks to facilitate a “health moment” to ensure that mothers throughout the world survive the childbirth experience.
There are several ways we can help ensure that more mothers have the opportunity to not only give birth to their children but also raise them. To find out more visit Every Mother Counts – Take Action.
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