CAY HILL, Sint Maarten — In recognition of the Maternal Child Health month, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset and the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise donated 50 maternity gift baskets to the St. Maarten Medical Center for vulnerable new mothers and babies.
Maternal and child health month is recognized by Rotary and Rotaract clubs worldwide during the month of April. Rotary makes high-quality health care available to vulnerable mothers and children throughout the world so they can live longer and grow stronger. Rotary and Rotaract clubs around the world help to expand access to quality care so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation, all of which can be prevented.
The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset contacted the St. Maarten Medical Center in 2019 in efforts to provide assistance to their maternal ward. The club was presented with the proposal to donate maternity gift baskets, a program that was initiated several years ago but gradually decreased over the past years. Health care professionals at SMMC, accepted the partnership with Rotary Sunset and provided a list of recommended items essential for newborn babies and mothers.
Through kind sponsorship and special discounts from Martijn Trading, Cost U Less, Maneks Imports and members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset and the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise, 50 baskets were prepared and presented to the SMMC hospital. The maternity baskets, contained items such as baby wet wipes, baby bath wash, baby lotion, pacifiers, bibs, breast pads, sanitary pads, baby diapers, wash cloths and receiving blankets.
“ The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout have been widespread but are particularly prevalent among vulnerable expecting mothers. One of Rotary’s areas of focus is supporting mothers and children and we are more than grateful to have aided vulnerable mothers and babies, as we try to assuage some of the inconvenience that they face especially during the pandemic,” Rotary Sunset President Elisia Lake stated.
“The members of the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise are truly delighted to have partnered with Rotary Sunset on this initiative. Mothers and babies are precious, and we want to ensure that they lack for nothing. It is our duty to help where we can, and I know that the recipients of these baskets will more than appreciate this gesture,” Rotaract Sunrise President Kenny Faustin added.
The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset and the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to all sponsors for their contribution towards this initiative. A special thanks is also extended to the Management and Staff of the St. Maarten Medical Center for granting us this opportunity and for their cooperation and assistance in the execution of the project.
The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month at Carl N Sons Unique Inn and Conference Facilities in Cole Bay at 7:30pm. Due to COVID-19, the club currently meets via Zoom. The club can be contacted via email at rotarysxmsunset@gmail.com or via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/rotarysxmsunset.
