Midwifery Consumers host “Red Tent” in association with “Birth” fundraiser
Opportunity to share birth stories and contribute to the “International Library of Birth Truths”
August 10, 2009 (Ottawa) – Running concurrently with the Ottawa premiere of the play “Birth”, join the Ottawa Consumers Supporting Midwifery Care (CSMC) in the BOLD “Red Tent” – a gathering of women, telling of birth experiences and offering of resources related to childbirth in the Ottawa region, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event takes place on Saturday, on Saturday, Aug. 15 between the matinee and evening performances of “Birth” at St. Paul’s University Atrium, 223 Main Street.
“Birth”, the staged production taking place each night at St. Paul’s Auditorium tells eight fictionalized birth stories. The CSMC “Red Tent” offers the opportunity to share our community’s own birth stories, bringing the art of the play to the reality of our community experience. Participants are encouraged to bring artwork, poetry, birth stories – any form of creative expression of the birth experience – that they would like to share. Contributions will be recorded (in film, written word or photography) and included in the BOLD “International Library of Birth Truths.”
BOLD “Red Tents” are part of an arts-based global movement to make maternity care mother-friendly. Founder Karen Brody says, “Given today’s crisis in maternity care, where one woman dies every minute due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes, I feel it’s time to give the microphone to the mothers so they can tell the story of maternity care today.”
BOLD “Red Tent” gatherings send their findings to everyone from politians and health departments to well-known international figures in a plea to listen to mothers when it comes to maternity care options. In addition, Brody’s play “Birth” is performed around the world as a fundraiser for local groups.
Admission to the Ottawa “Red Tent” is a pay-what-you-can donation in support of the International Breech Birth Conference.
BACKGROUND INFO:
The International Breech Birth Conference is presented by the consumer advocacy group, Coalition for Breech Birth (CBB). A sliding makes this international conference exceptionally accessible to consumers. An encore of “Birth” and a scaled-down version of CSMC’s “Red Tent” will be featured at the Breech Birth Conference. Info: www.breechbirth.ca
Consumers Supporting Midwifery Care (CSMC) is a grassroots group of Ottawa area consumers advocating for midwifery and availability of birth choices to women in the region. Info: www.midwiferyconsumers.org
BOLD (Born on Labour Day) – “Red Tent” gatherings and the play “Birth” – Info: www.boldaction.org