Project Report
| May 10, 2012
A Message from Mother and Actress Jessica Capshaw
![Jessica Capshaw, Actress & Supporter]()
Jessica Capshaw, Actress & Supporter
I have so much to celebrate this Mother's day. I am so grateful to my husband, Christopher and my two children, Luke and Eve (and our third baby who is on the way) for making me a Mom. Being a Mom has been my most important job to date and I take my job very seriously and I have a lot of fun doing it.
At the same time, I realize how lucky I am to have something that too many mothers don't have: access to medical care that supports their health and that of their families. Maternal health remains a staggering challenge, particularly in the developing world. Globally, a woman dies from complications in childbirth every minute.
On "Grey's Anatomy," I play Arizona Robbins, a pediatric surgeon fiercely determined to give mothers the chance to see their children grow up healthy. In the real world, I see this dedication in the courageous and committed health professionals who work for International Medical Corps. They are the ones saving lives in some of the world's toughest environments – places like Darfur, Afghanistan, the Congo and Haiti. They are making motherhood the blessing that it should be, instead of the health risk that it can be.
International Medical Corps has made women and children's health and well-being high priorities in its work since its founding in 1984, recognizing this as the key to promoting health and building self-reliant communities in the most vulnerable and underserved places. On the frontlines of disaster and despair, International Medical Corps provides lifesaving antenatal and postnatal care, trains midwives and traditional birth attendants, improves access to obstetric equipment and health facilities, and educates health workers as well as parents on healthy nutrition and childrearing practices. Their teams work closely with local communities to promote safe motherhood and childcare in a sustainable way, ultimately strengthening the resilience of families, communities and nations.
On a day traditionally reserved for celebrating mothers I would like to also celebrate the work that International Medical Corps is doing for Mothers - helping give so many women and children around the world the futures they deserve.
Happy Mother's Day to all!
Jessica Capshaw