CATHY
PEARSON, LEADER OF EDMONTON VBAC SUPPORT, NOMINATED TO YWCA
WOMAN OF DISTINCTION AWARD – MAY 2004
SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF NOMINEE
Cathy Pearson lives in Edmonton , Alberta
, with her husband Loren and their two children. She graduated
from the University of Alberta with a degree in Education
and began working as a teacher in the Braemar Elementary
School where she taught all grades. Eventually she transferred
to another school in Millwoods from where she retired. After
she had her first child she chose to go back to her beloved
teaching by becoming a pre-school teacher on a part-time
basis.
Her involvement in advocacy began shortly after the birth
of her first child by caesarean section in 1984. With the support of her
husband she sought to have a VBAC or vaginal birth after caesarean. This
is when she discovered the Edmonton VBAC Support Association, which had been
recently founded by nurse Judy Cochrane in Sherwood Park . In this environment
of support and sharing of birth stories, Cathy became convinced that she
could achieve her dream. She hired a midwife and gave birth to her second
child naturally. She continued her connection with the VBAC Support Association,
becoming a mentor and advocate for other women who had similar experiences.
For 10 years ending in September 2003, Cathy kindly offered her house as
the central meeting place of the Association and offered her home number
as a continuous link of support for moms that lived out of town. She
is the longest serving member and Leader of the Edmonton VBAC Support Association.
Cathy Pearson is admired today for her invaluable experience advocating
for pregnant women, and for her calm and generous manner. As long as the
Association exists, Edmontonian women will benefit for years to come from
the legacy of Cathy Pearson. The number of caesarean sections per capita
is rapidly increasing, and women will need a lot of emotional support and
education to plan the birth of their future babies. The Association that
Cathy lead and volunteered with for over 10 years offers these women and
their families the chance to find exactly the support they need.
SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS
Cathy Pearson is being nominated to the
2004 YWCA Tribute to Women of Distinction Award, in the category
of Social Sciences, Social Services & Advocacy
in the Social Sciences. She fits the YWCA definition for: “helping … [the]
emotional, social and spiritual advancement of Edmontonians
or in an advocacy role, thereby having a significant effect
on the Edmonton area.”
This is a list of her top achievements in this area:
Becoming the Leader of the Edmonton VBAC
Support Association. The goals of the Association that she
supported are:
To provide information about vaginal birth
after cesarean (VBAC) to women and their families. To provide
emotional support to women and their partners who are planning
a VBAC.
To increase public awareness of VBAC as a safe option.
To represent and promote the interests of VBAC parents, as health care consumers,
to health care professionals and to various levels of government.
Being involved with the Association for
over 10 continuous year by holding monthly meetings in her
own house and overseeing the medical library and the community
outreach events.
Providing emotional and spiritual support, as well as education, to a countless
number of pregnant and soon-to-be-pregnant women who came to her house for
VBAC support meetings and enjoyed talking to her over her fabulous tea and
homemade cookies.
Nomination made by Claudia
Villeneuve, Edmonton VBAC Support Association/ICAN of Edmonton
Return
to Press Releases
Previous Next
|
