Healthy Start Maternal Mortality Event
On March 31, one of our M4 students, Angelika Toquica, and two of our physician assistant students, Marilyn Ramirez and Hermaley Lubin, along with our campus Dean, Dr. Juliette Lomax-Homier, had the opportunity to attend an event sponsored by Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition to bring awareness to Maternal Mortality. During this event, Indian River Cleveland Clinic staff, OBGYN physicians, medical students, and other local community members gained knowledge about the high maternal mortality rate, the multiple factors that contribute to these disparities, and how to prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Showing the impact that the loss of a mother/wife/daughter/aunt could have on a family was presented by guest speaker Omari Maynard, from the 2022 Hulu documentary film "Aftershock.” He spoke so bravely and passionately about the personal impact this topic had on his life and how determined he is to bring awareness to all about Maternal Mortality, most prominent in Black women, with the hopes of minimizing preventable pregnancy-related deaths.
Healthy Start is a free home visiting program that provides education and care coordination to pregnant women and families of children under the age of three. The goal of the program is to lower risk factors associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, infant mortality and poor developmental outcomes.
Pictured L-R: CO 2023 PA students Marilyn Ramirez and Hermaley Lubin, Omari Maynard, Guest Speaker from the 2022 documentary film, Aftershock, Juliette Lomax-Homier, MD, Campus Dean