Interview with Isatou Marong, Eddy Rose Black Birthworker Scholar

1. Why did you want to become a midwife? 

Working in healthcare has been my dream since I was a child. I always found it fascinating when my mom used to tell us about her birth experiences, which were all attended by traditional midwives. Fortunately, I began my healthcare career as a lab technician on the labor and delivery floor at the main hospital in Gambia. This allowed me the opportunity to witness several births and support women in their most vulnerable times, providing them with small comforts such as holding their hands, rubbing their backs, or providing emotional support by simply being present. Many of those women did not have loved ones or family members with them during birth. I have seen the exceptional care some of them received from the midwives, who play a crucial role in the birthing process in the Gambia. On the contrary, I have also seen women being shamed or called weak for expressing their pain, which, unfortunately, is a cultural norm.

 A few years later, I got the opportunity to travel to the US after graduating from nursing school; I was seven months pregnant at the time. From my experience in the labor and delivery unit and as a nurse, I have also seen some of the complications women experience from having Female Genital Mutilation. I was scared and feared that my delivery was going to be a difficult one, being that it was my first pregnancy. Thankfully, my birth was exceptional, with an incredibly supportive midwife named Aicha and wonderful caring nurses who assisted me throughout my labor. Aicha's advocacy was crucial in preventing me from getting a cesarean section. Subsequently, due to this positive experience, I chose to have all four of my children delivered by midwives.

 These two contrasting experiences are what led me to midwifery. I wanted to provide every woman the care, support, and compassion I received from midwives who cared for me. Equally, I also wanted to strongly advocate for my fellow women, particularly Black and immigrant women. I strive to provide individualized, compassionate, culturally congruent care and to create a safe and supportive environment for my patients. I believe in empowering women to make informed decisions about their care, and I will support them in expressing how they feel during labor.

 2. What has being a midwifery student been like? 

Being a midwife student has been both a challenge and a joy. My passion for this profession fuels my enjoyment of the learning process. The opportunity to take a continuity of care course last semester was a privilege, allowing me to observe pregnant women who opt for a home birth from their first trimester visit to the end of their postpartum care. Each new lesson I learn fills me with the anticipation of becoming a better midwife for my future patients.

This semester, we are mandated to meet in person, which is extra challenging. However, having an incredibly supportive family has allowed me to juggle work, care for my kids, and concentrate on schoolwork. I have also learned to manage my time by prioritizing and not leaving anything I can do today for tomorrow. 

 3. Do you have any advice for others who are thinking of going to midwifery school?

 If you are considering a career in midwifery, I encourage you to pursue it. The midwifery profession is growing, and we need more representation from diverse backgrounds. People of color and ethnic minority groups are particularly underrepresented. By joining the profession, you can help change this. The more diverse our midwifery workforce, the more people will receive care from midwives who understand their needs and can provide culturally sensitive care.

To those actively considering which program to join, the good news is that the downstate midwifery program has just revised its curriculum and reduced the midwifery program from three to two years. So, if you are considering becoming a midwife, now is a good time; you have a shorter period to complete your midwifery program. Also, I did not know this before joining the school, but the midwifery program not only accepts nurses, but non-nurses who have a degree in other fields can join the program and become certified midwives. Your unique perspective and experiences can make a significant difference in the lives of the women you care for. 

4. How has the scholarship helped you in your journey? 

 As a mother of four boys, it has been difficult financially to care for my family and pay the school bills without accumulating debt. The Eddie Rose Excelente Fund for black Birthwotker scholarship has been a lifeline, helping me relieve the financial burden of taking on more student loans or working double jobs to make ends meet. This support has allowed me to concentrate on my schoolwork, care for my family simultaneously, and not worry financially. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. This scholarship has made my dreams a reality and made me believe it is possible to complete this program and become a midwife. It is a reminder of the significant impact that financial support can have on someone's journey to achieving their dreams. 

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

Five years from now, I see myself enhancing my skills and becoming an exceptional midwife dedicated to providing outstanding care to all women. I am particularly interested in specializing in the care of women who have experienced Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). I also hope to establish my own home birth practice, where I can provide care to women in the comfort of their homes, respecting their autonomy. I am eager to educate these women about the benefits of the midwifery care model and advocate for the profession. My ultimate goal is to see the midwifery care model integrated more widely within the hospital system, ensuring women's autonomy is continually respected. These are not just goals but reflect my passion and dedication to midwifery. 

6. What do you like to do for fun?

In my free time, I enjoy watching documentaries based on true stories or listening to inspirational books on Audible. I also love going for walks. These help me relax and rejuvenate, allowing me to be my best self. My favorite documentary is about the Brazilian footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, commonly known as Pelé. I find him an exceptional human being and an incredibly talented footballer.

Meet our new Eddy Rose Scholar for Black Birthworkers, Isatou Marong

We are once again honored to announce the recipient of the $10,000 scholarship for Black Birthworkers! Our scholar, Isatou Marong, is currently a first year student at SUNY Downstate where she is pursing her passion of becoming a Midwife. Her path to midwifery started in her native country of The Gambia and through her experience of giving birth in the United States. We were inspired by Isatou’s journey and her commitment to providing safe, compassionate care to Black and immigrant women.

We thank our IMR supporters for making this scholarship possible!

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I am a first-year midwifery student at SUNY Downstate Health Science University. My name is Isatou Marong. I am thrilled to have been selected for the Eddy Rose Scholarship for Black Birth workers and am grateful for this opportunity to further my journey to becoming a licensed midwife. Currently, I work as a Registered Nurse at HHC Jacobi Medical Center Emergency Service, where I find joy and peace in helping and caring for people.

My interest in healthcare led me to discover my passion for midwifery, particularly advocating for better maternal outcomes for black women. I am humbled to be a part of the midwifery community and intend to take full advantage of this scholarship to achieve my goals. 

I want to express my gratitude to the International Medical Response management and team, all contributors, supporters, and sponsors who made this opportunity possible. I am humbled and honored to be awarded this distinguished scholarship. 

-Isatou Marong

End of the Year thoughts from Eddy Rose Scholar, Shaunté

With graduation around the corner, I’m humbled at how far I’ve come. Currently, I am embarking on a clinical rotation in labor and delivery. The experience has been eye opening thus far. Having had the opportunity to deliver a baby with minimal assistance has been life changing. Watching my dreams unfold, bringing life into this world has been surreal. Every birthing person has a story and unique experience. I’m grateful to be a part of so many stories providing the best care I know how. Messages from patients like “I could not have done this without you” or “Thank you so much for everything; You’re going to make an amazing midwife one day” is all the validation I need to know that I’m in the right place. Applying didactic material instilled in us from our learning to real life situations makes this whole experience full circle. I look forward to graduation in the spring and taking my boards exam. I thank the team here at International Medical Response for this scholarship that has helped me tremendously to help finance my studies. Midwifery and birth work has a special place in my heart and I look forward to what’s in store for me as a new up and coming midwife!

Q&A with Shaunté Truick, Eddy Rose Scholar

Shaunté is our third Eddy Rose Scholar for Black Birthworkers, and we are so thrilled to be supporting this future Midwife. Her passion for Midwifery and her commitment to her community is truly inspiring, and we are eager for you to get to know her a little more!

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1.  How did your journey lead you to decide to become a midwife? 

Ever since I was a kid, I had a liking to helping people. I’m the eldest of four children and cared for all of my younger siblings. What led me to become a midwife was my love for kids and appreciation for women and their bodies. Midwives particularly sparked my interest due to the midwifery model of care. Birthing with a midwife is far more personal, intimate, and rewarding. I love how they connect with the mothers and make each pregnancy journey unique to the patient on a more personal level. I feel as if midwives have a more caring and connected approach to their patients, spend more time understanding them, and become an additional support system.  

I was always intrigued with the birthing process, especially after encountering the difficult birth of my baby sister when I was 14 years old. Watching her come into this world and surviving being born a little over 2lbs was remarkable. I grew a deep admiration midwives who attend births, as it can be life threatening for the mother or baby. Experiencing my mother flat-lining and coming back to life after a complicated cesarean-section due to placenta previa was such a traumatizing experience, yet also made me feel that I have a purpose in helping women of color just like myself. 

2. Who are some of the biggest influences in your life? 

My grandmother is my biggest influence. From attending my school plays, to taking me to health fairs, to handing me brochures on pregnancy, my grandmother is always there to cheer me on and support whatever it is I choose to take on in life. From an adolescent, it was my grandmother who taught me basic skills such as taking blood pressure, reading a thermometer, checking blood sugar levels etc. Little did I know I'd be using these same tools she taught me, to help her after her diagnosis of breast cancer. I was able to attend to her basic needs whenever she felt sick, especially after chemotherapy. Following her reconstructive surgery, I helped change her gauzes, leakage tubes, and dressed her scars with proper antiseptics and made her feel as comfortable as possible. Throughout my years as a young adult to now, I've had first hand experience with women's health because of my grandmother, my breast cancer survivor, my hero.  

My other influence is God. I grew up in church. My grandmother made sure my siblings and I attended every Sunday. My faith is what keeps me going and gives me the drive and ambition to do all things and conquer the unthinkable. I would not be the woman I am today without God and my grandmother. 

3. How do you see your role as a birth worker supporting equity for maternal health? 

Upon graduating as a midwife, I plan on gaining as much experience as I can in the field working in a hospital that has been using midwives for an extensive period of time and building a name for myself. I ultimately see myself opening a home-birth business, catering to all women and especially welcoming women of the BIPOC community.  

I believe that the work doesn’t stop. If you want to see change, you have to make change! Black women are 3 times more likely to die in childbirth in comparison to white women. To more fully understand the maternal mortality issue amongst black women, it is important to address the root of the problem, health inequity and institutional racism, which I plan to highlight in future qualitative research. I’m currently working as a birth/postpartum doula advocating for mothers in the tri-state area. Birth work is my life. I was born to do this, and I will continue to use my education and experience to make a difference. 

Meet our new Eddy Rose Scholar for Black Birthworkers, Shaunté Truick!

We are so pleased to introduce Shaunté Truick, a student midwife at SUNY Downstate, as the recipient of our third Black Birthworker scholar. We were impressed by Shaunté’s commitment to her community and feel so honored to support her in her journey to become a Midwife!

Shaunté Truck, student midwife and Eddy Rose scholar

My name is Shaunté Truick and I’m a Midwifery student at SUNY Downstate Health Science University. I sincerely thank the International Medical Response team for this pivotal moment, granting me this opportunity to receive this scholarship, as it will tremendously help me further my education and goals in health care. I am currently a birth/postpartum doula supporting birthing people throughout their pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum journey across the tri-state area. As a future homebirth midwife, this scholarship will allow me to distill my knowledge, bring awareness to my community, and infuse the essence of autonomous birthing experiences to my patients. This moment will always remain a pillar, which will further catapult my quest for knowledge in this field. With much appreciation, humility, and grace, I thank you for aiding my vision.

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Maternal healthcare in the United States has seen a crisis over the last two decades with pregnancy-related mortality rate steadily inclining. While maternal death rates around the world have dropped by more than a third from 2000 to 2015, the rates in the United States has more than doubled since 1987. According to data from CDC, significant racial disparity in pregnancy-related mortality contributes to the increased rate. Between 2011-2016, Black women were 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The maternal mortality rate for Black women during that same period was 42.4 per 100,000-- worse than 85 other countries around the globe.

 A solution to this epidemic must be multipronged, however we believe that one of the ways to decrease the disparity is by supporting more Black individuals who are committed to caring for birthing people. We have chosen future midwives and doulas as the focus of this scholarship because we believe that these two groups of birthworkers have the potential to majorly impact the outcomes of pregnant people. Studies show that when cared for by a midwife, women are less likely to deliver by Cesarean Section, a surgical procedure that can increase a person’s risk of hemorrhage, infection, blood clots and other surgical complications. It has also been shown that for people whose labors are attended by doulas (a person who provides emotional and physical support during labor, birth, and postpartum period), they were more likely to have spontaneous vaginal birth and less likely to require pain medication including epidurals.

 While we know that midwives and doulas can have a positive impact on birthing people, it is also evident that the community of birthworkers is currently overwhelmingly white. For example, according to the 2019 Demographic Report by the American Midwifery Certification Board, 86.9% of Certified Midwives (CM) and Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM) in the United States identified as White or Caucasian and 6.31% as Black or African American. Black birthing people deserve to have access to care-providers from their communities. Our hope is that by offering this scholarship, it will decrease some of the financial barriers put upon Black students who desire to enter the profession.

Shaunté received $10,000 to support her Midwifery education through IMR’s Eddy Rose Scholarship Program. Please consider making a contribution to IMR so we can continue to award future birthworkers like Shaunté!

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A quick update on our PPE project

As Covid-19 cases rise to over 9 million and we pass the tragic mark of over 228,000 people who’ve died in the US, we have continued to provide weekly personal protective equipment (PPE) deliveries to our NYC healthcare partners for the last 7 months. All current data shows that COVID cases and hospitalizations are increasing here in NYC. This is supported by what we’ve heard from the doctors and nurses we check in with weekly. We are fully committed to supporting our partners through this next wave of cases. From our ER partners in Queens, “We are definitely seeing more cases coming into our hospital.”

The requests have ranged from respiratory mask and isolation gowns, along with face shields. We expect the needs to change over the next few months. Each partner site has unique PPE needs and we hope to be able to keep our emergency supply cabinet stocked to meet this need. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported our work. We couldn’t have done it without you! We’d like to continue to be able to support our healthcare workers. Please consider a donation.

In other news, we’re so proud of one of our partners, Nurse Amy Sullivan from Wykoff ER who was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most info people for 2020. Congratulations Amy and a big cheer to all healthcare workers around the globe doing the most amazing work of caring for all who’ve been suffering through this pandemic. 

Announcing our 2020-2021 Black Birth Worker Scholarship recipient

“I believe that midwifery meets at the crossroads of many fights – whether it be racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, abortion access or medical malpractice and mistreatment – and is birthed from the struggles of my ancestors.”

-Tyla Leach

We are ecstatic to introduce Tyla Leach, the recipient of IMR’s scholarship for Black Birth Workers through Eddy Rose Excelente Fund! She will be awarded $10,000 which was partly funded by our generous partner, Actions@EBMF.

Tyla is currently a student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s Midwifery Education Program. We were inspired by her commitment to serving Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ birthing people and impressed by her ability to lead and bring communities together.

Currently in the US, Black women are 3x likelier than white women to die of complications related to pregnancy. IMR strongly believes that representation matters especially when it comes to decreasing these racial health disparities. We believe that receiving care from Black birth workers is one important way Black birthing people can feel safe and empowered during pregnancy and childbirth. Our Eddy Rose Excelente Fund Black Birth Worker Scholarship Program aims to increase diversity within the profession by supporting Black students who desire to enter it.

There were many more highly qualified applicants than the number of scholarships available. If you share our commitment to supporting Black birthing people and Black birth workers, please donate here. Your contribution will allow us to award more scholarships to amazing students like Tyla!

The Eddy Rose Excelente Fund- The Black Birth Worker Scholarship

Over the years, IMR has provided support for practitioners in resource-poor regions pursuing a formal education in healthcare through the Eddy Rose Excelente Fund. The fund was created in honor of Nicaraguan Ob/Gyn Dr. Eddy Rose, a great doctor and friend that our Executive Director Ambereen had known since 2001. In his spirit of caring and kindness, we established the Eddy Rose Excelente Fund (Fondo Excelente) that provides scholarship to help pay the grantee’s tuition in their program of choice. We currently support two scholars through this fund and we’re excited to add a third. Currently, these are our scholars:

• Destra, Leogane, Haiti: We met Jesumene Jean Paul, a former nursing student and resident of Destra who had to discontinue her education due to financial constraints. Her devotion to caring for others as well as to her childhood home made her an excellent addition to the IMR family as a collaborator.  Since then, IMR has funded her re-entry into nursing school to continue honing her clinical skills.  Jesumene also assists IMR by conducting follow up visits and providing meds to the patient population established during IMR clinics.

• Managua, Nicaragua: Carlos Rose is Eddy’s nephew who is currently a fourth-year medical student in the five-year medical program at Managua American University (UAM). Carlos has been supported by the scholarship since his second year and has worked with IMR’s Executive Director Ambereen in the operative room when she works in Granada, Nicaragua. He plans to become a surgeon and practice in Nicaragua. Carlos, who is kind, gentle and dedicated, was inspired to go into medicine by Eddy.

In addition to our two current scholars, IMR will be offering a scholarship to support Black birth workers. Maternal healthcare in the United States has seen a crisis over the last two decades with pregnancy-related mortality rate steadily inclining. While maternal death rates around the world have dropped by more than a third from 2000 to 2015, the rates in the United States has more than doubled since 1987. According to data from CDC, significant racial disparity in pregnancy- related mortality contributes to the increased rate. Between 2011-2016, Black women were 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The maternal mortality rate for Black women during that same period was 42.4 per 100,000-- worse than 85 other countries around the globe.

A solution to this epidemic must be multi-pronged. However, we believe that one of the ways to decrease the disparity is by supporting more Black individuals who are committed to caring for birthing people. Representation matters and can be vital to promoting safe, equitable and respectful maternal care. We plan to support future midwives and doulas as the focus of this scholarship because we believe that these two groups of birth workers have the potential to majorly impact the outcomes of pregnant people. Studies show that when cared for by a midwife, women are less likely to deliver by Cesarean Section, a surgical procedure that can increase a person’s risk of hemorrhage, infection, blood clots and other surgical complications. It has also been shown that for people whose labors are attended by doulas (a person who provides emotional and physical support during labor, birth, and postpartum period), they were more likely to have spontaneous vaginal birth and less likely to require pain medication including epidurals.

While we know that midwives and doulas can have a positive impact on birthing people, it is also evident that the community of birth workers is currently overwhelmingly white. For example, according to the 2019 Demographic Report by the American Midwifery Certification Board, 86.9% of Certified Midwives (CM) and Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM) in the United States identified as White or Caucasian and 6.31% as Black or African American. Black birthing people deserve to have access to care-providers from their communities. Our hope is that by offering this scholarship, it will decrease some of the financial barriers put upon Black students who desire to enter the profession. We will inaugurate this scholarship with an award to a midwifery student at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY.

For more information or an application, please email info@internationalmedicalresponse.org.