Rosemary Birthing Home Welcomes New Midwife

Rosemary Birthing Home is proud to announce that Priscilla Kramer, who has served Sarasota as a student midwife since 2011, is now a Florida Licensed Midwife (LM) and a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Licensed Midwives are registered and recognized by the Florida Department of Health as autonomous maternity care providers for women experiencing normal, low-risk healthy pregnancies.

“The night I received my license to practice midwifery in Florida and my CPM credential, I attended my first birth as an official Licensed Midwife,” says Priscilla. “Baby Joah was caught by his mother in the water at Rosemary Birthing Home! She labored beautifully and quickly. This family is on cloud nine, and I am right there with them.”

In 2008, Priscilla graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. In 2009 she began her studies at The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery, graduating earlier this month. In addition to her apprenticeship at Rosemary Birthing Home, she trained in Central Florida with home birth midwives and completed an internship in Honduras. Priscilla has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2008 and is certified in neonatal resuscitation and CPR.

"I am so happy to have Priscilla by my side as a Licensed Midwife,” says Harmony Miller, midwife, owner and operator of Rosemary Birthing Home since 2006. “The way she cares for our clients is directly in line with the Rosemary Birthing Home philosophy of compassionate, evidence-based care."

Rosemary Birthing Home was established in 2003 and is owned and operated by Licensed Midwives. A free-standing, accredited birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care embedded with the philosophy that birth is a normal, healthy process that most often requires no medical intervention. For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com

About Rosemary Birthing Home: Established in 2003, Rosemary Birthing Home is a free-standing birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District. Owned and operated by Florida licensed midwives, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care, birth center births, home births, water births, pre-pregnancy nutrition counseling, postpartum care, babywearing classes, support groups, lactation counseling, complete childbirth education, a lending library and more. A free Choices in Childbirth Class and Rosemary Birthing Home Orientation is offered on Mondays and Tuesdays (by appointment only). For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com.

Sarasota Mayor to Share Birth Stories on WSLR

On March 20th, Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell will join Sarasota’s Conversation about Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Early Motherhood. Maternally Yours, a weekly radio show on Sarasota’s Community Radio Station WSLR 96.5 LPFM, will welcome the Mayor to share the stories of the births of her children during the station’s biannual membership drive.

“I feel that women of my generation can offer a unique perspective regarding childbirth and family issues,” said Mayor Atwell. “We stood at the forefront of a growing movement that embraced education, choice, and respect in reproductive decisions.”

Atwell will be joined in the studio by Mommy Magazine editor Sara Malone, who will also share her birth stories, as well as the four co-hostesses of Maternally Yours, Laura Gilkey, Cheryl Kindred, Carmela Pedicini and Ryan Stanley. Since its launch in October 2011, the program has covered a wide range of topics and has welcomed such guests as 2011 Right Livelihood Laureate Ina May Gaskin, 2011 CNN Hero of the Year Robin Lim, Florida Senator Arthenia Joyner, Congressional candidate Keith Fitzgerald, and many others.

To hear the exclusive Maternally Yours interview with Mayor Atwell and Sara Malone, please tune into WSLR 96.5 LPFM Tuesday evening, March 20, at 6:00pm. The program is also available via live streaming on wslr.org, and podcast at podomatic.com/profile/maternallyyoursradio. For more information, please contact the hostesses of Maternally Yours at MaternallyYoursRadio@gmail.com, or call (941) 915-8115.

Nation's Largest Parkinson Symposium Reaches Capacity in Sarasota Saturday

The largest Parkinson Disease (PD) symposium in the nation returned to Sarasota on Saturday. Almost 1,000 patients, caregivers and physicians filled Sarasota Memorial's Institute for Advanced Medicine and overflowed to two satellite locations, each equipped with live streaming footage of the conference. The Suncoast Parkinson Disease Symposium, now in its 15th year, was hosted by Neuro Challenge Foundation (NCF) in partnership with Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, and Sarasota Magazine.

Opening remarks were given by Suncoast health journalist Heidi Godman, NCF Executive Director Judith Bell and Medical Director Dr. Dean Sutherland, Sarasota Memorial Hospital COO David Verinder, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation CEO Alex Quarles (pictured above addressing crowd, photo by Cliff Roles), and Sarasota Magazine group publisher Kelley Lavin.

Dr. Michael Okun, Medical Director of the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) and neurologist for Mohammed Ali, presented a model of "patient-centric" care that allows an interdisciplinary approach to Parkinson's, prioritizing the individual needs of each patient. "What Neuro Challenge is doing here is absolutely transformational," said Okun, in reference to the patient-centric qualified referral network Parkinson's Partners.

Dr. Cynthia Fox, co-founder of the headline-making Big and Loud Voice Therapy and a Research Associate at the National Center for Voice and Speech, invited the capacity crowd to stand, stretch, and speak loudly. This set the tone for her presentation of the Lee Silverman Voice Therapy system, which incorporates voice and body exercise as integral pieces of the Parkinson treatment, tantamount and complimentary to neurological and pharmacological modalities.

Dr. James Schumacher, Sarasota Memorial Hospital neurosurgeon led the audience through the processes of deep brain stimulation, neurotransplantation, and dopamine cell replacement. He then talked about the groundbreaking science of creating dopamine cells from one's own skin cells.

Dr. Dean Sutherland, NCF Medical Director and founder of the Southeastern Center for Parkinson Disease, presented an overview of current scientific theory about the causes, risk factors, and methods for diagnosis of Parkinson Disease.

Heidi Godman then facilitated a panel discussion and Q & A with the speakers. Topics discussed included causes for dyskinesia, deep brain stimulation for older patients, specific medication and amino acid efficacy, acupuncture for Parkinson treatment, and physical and behavioral tasks that can release dopamine.

"I especially enjoyed Dr. Okun's information about Parkinson patients and hospitalization; I am about to have surgery, and will definitely be taking this knowledge with me," said Sarasota's Linda Hatfield, diagnosed with Parkinson Disease in 2001. "Like last year's symposium, this extremely informational. Just excellent."

It is estimated that as many as 1.5 million people in the United States have PD. In Southwest Florida, it is projected that approximately 9,000 people have PD and another 5-10,000 are directly affected as professional or family caregivers. The Annual Suncoast Parkinson Symposium is held annually in Sarasota, Florida. For more information, please visit www.neurochallenge.org, or call (941) 926-6413.

About Neuro Challenge Foundation: Neuro Challenge Foundation is dedicated to the fight against Parkinson Disease (PD) in Southwest Florida through service, education and research. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that offers online, in person and phone recommendations about local PD resources. A free resource guide is available online. Printed guides can be ordered online, viewed in the January 2012 issue of Sarasota Magazine or picked up at any Sarasota YMCA or HealthPlex location. NCF funds programs and activities that promise to ease the burden of Parkinson Disease through patient-centered professional education, community forums and scientific and clinical research. Patients, caregivers and nationally recognized scientific experts advise us and lead the way as we invest in the science and services that will lead to a cure. For more information, please call (888) 623-4483 or visit www.neurochallenge.org.

Cause 4 Fashion in One Month

A night of high fashion is returning to Sarasota to raise much-needed funds for Parkinson Disease programs on the Suncoast. Sarasota-based Neuro Challenge Foundation will host the 3rd annual Cause 4 Fashion gala event at Michael’s on East on March 1st from 6:00 to 9:00. Last year’s event received a “Standing O” from Sarasota’s Observer Group as a Standout Event of the year. All of the models in the show will be Parkinson patients or their caregivers, family members or friends. Proceeds benefit Parkinson Disease programs and research in Sarasota & Manatee counties.

An estimated 15,000 people are coping with Parkinson Disease in Sarasota and Manatee Counties alone. Neuro Challenge Foundation is the only local community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of people with Parkinson Disease and their caregivers through service, education and research. Neuro Challenge offers one-on-one advice with skilled professionals, workshops, seminars and the largest and most respected annual Parkinson Disease Symposium in Florida, co-sponsored by the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.

The Cause 4 Fashion event features spring lines from Dreamweaver Planet, Exit Art, Lafayette 148, Lilla P, Lilly Pulitzer, Peace of Cloth, Robert Graham, T. Georgiano’s, and Tommy Bahama. The evening’s hosts are Sarasota personalities Cliff Roles and Heidi Godman, with special guest appearances from New York fashion designer Alex Garfield, Mayor Suzanne Atwell, Michael's on East's own Michael Klauber, and performances from Circus Sarasota. The event is being chaired by Dr. and Mrs. David Napoliello and by David Verinder, COO of Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and his wife Monica.

Tickets for the evening are $95 and can be purchased by calling Neuro Challenge at (941) 926-6413 or visiting www.neurochallenge.org. A cocktail hour and stellar shopping opportunity precede a five star meal and best-of-boutiques fashion show. A “bucket list” live auction during the show includes a private wine tasting with Michael Klauber, a custom portrait session from renowned Sarasota artist Gale Fulton Ross, a VIP package to the Sarasota Film Festival, and more. The event is presented by Amicus Foundation, Larry and Nola Heitbrink and Richard and Gloria Stevens, as well as and generous sponsors, patrons and community partners. Sponsorship is still available. Call 926-6413 for details.

About Neuro Challenge Foundation: Neuro Challenge Foundation is dedicated to the fight against Parkinson Disease in Southwest Florida through service, education and research. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to serving you through online, in person and phone recommendations about local PD resources. We train and recommend the best Parkinson Disease professionals and support research that will lead to a cure. A free resource guide is available online. Printed guides can be ordered online, viewed in the January issue of Sarasota Magazine or picked up at any Sarasota YMCA or HealthPlex location.

Anonymous Donor Helps Healthy Start's "Save My Life" Program Combat Racial Birth Disparities

Maybe guns aren’t the biggest threat in Newtown.

Perhaps the biggest threat is the area’s staggering rates of poor birth outcomes, such as premature birth, fetal mortality, and infant mortality. Despite a statewide decrease in deaths among children younger than one year old, the infant mortality rate for African-Americans in Sarasota County has continued to creep upward. And disparities between rates of fetal mortality, infant mortality, and prematurity between blacks and whites continue to be alarmingly present. Sarasota County’s most recent 2008-2010 rolling average data indicates the African-American rates for fetal mortality is more than twice as high as whites; infant mortality is 3.5 times as high; and preterm birth is 1.7 times as high.

Aimed at reversing this alarming trend, the Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County created the “Save My Life” Program in 2008, an education and support-based Childbirth and Parenting Education program centered in the Newtown area. The Save My Life Program offers small group and individual classes on the importance of health during childbearing years and during pregnancy, stress reduction, childbirth education, breastfeeding education, in-home support for breastfeeding, and safe sleep practices for infants. Outreach efforts, education, and classes are offered by the only African-American Childbirth Educator in Sarasota County, Beverly Phelps.

“Early intervention to begin reversing this cycle must begin prior to pregnancy, and continue throughout pregnancy and after pregnancy. The early experiences of any human, from the beginning of pregnancy into the first few years of life are crucial,” said Jennifer Highland, Executive Director of the Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County. “By focusing on education, support, and prevention, we aim to improve chances young families will stay healthy.”

Funding for this vital program comes from donations and grants, both of which are currently threatened. After 3 ½ successful years, this program will end in spring of 2012 without additional funding. However, the Healthy Start Coalition has been presented with a unique opportunity to continue funding this important program: an anonymous donor has come forward with a $10,000 Challenge. If $5,000 is raised by the community before February 15, the donor will match it with another $5,000.

“This is an important opportunity for our Community to get involved in the health of our youngest citizens”, continued Highland, “It is time for us to rally as a community to save our babies!”

For more information, contact info@healthystartsarsota.org.

An Evening for Healthy Start

On Thursday, January 26th, from 6 to 9 pm, Sarasota Architectural Salvage will host the 3rd Annual “An Evening for Healthy Start” Fundraiser to benefit The Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County. The event will be emceed by former Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner, and will feature live music by local Latin, Caribbean, Funk and Motown dance music band, Big Night Out.

The event comes at a critical time in the Healthy Start Coalition’s fiscal year, when funding for critical programs threatens to expire. This year’s event has the potential to raise more money for Sarasota’s pregnant women, infants and young children than in previous years, due to the generosity of several local business members and individuals, including those from the fields of obstetrics, perinatology, midwifery and pediatrics.

Sarasota Architectural Salvage paints an eclectic and distinctive backdrop for “An Evening for Healthy Start,” making it one of the most unique fundraising events of the season. Guests will be treated to light fare provided by local restaurants, including Nancy’s BBQ, Caragiulo’s, Nellie’s Deli, Carrs Corner Café, The Lollicake Queen, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Vin Cella and Local Coffee and Tea. The event will also feature a raffle and silent auction, featuring an exquisite pendant necklace from world-famous jewelry designer Ned Bowman of Bowman Originals in Sarasota.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door, and include two beverage tickets and a coupon for Sarasota Architectural Salvage. To purchase tickets, call (941) 373-7070, or visit www.SarasotaSalvage.com.

The Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of pregnant women, infants, and young children in the community. Healthy Start coordinates a variety of specialized programs to serve high-risk groups and address specific risk factors that contribute to fetal death, prematurity, low birth weight, and infant death. For more information, please call (941) 373-7070 or visit www.healthystartsarasota.org.

Sarasota Radio Show to Air Exclusive Interview with CNN Hero of the Year

Last night, international midwife Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year, accepting an award of $250,000 for her non-profit birth clinic Yayasan Bumi Sehat in Bali, Indonesia. Maternally Yours, Sarasota’s Conversation about Pregnancy, Childbirth and Early Motherhood, recorded an exclusive interview with Robin just days before her win, and will air the interview on Tuesday, December 13th, on Sarasota’s community radio station,WSLR 96.5 LPFM.

“To say I am thrilled for her is the understatement of the century,” says Maternally Yours co-hostess Ryan Stanley. “This win will make real change for mothers and babies in Indonesia and worldwide—mothers and babies will live and thrive because of this award.”

Since 2005, Robin Lim’s clinic Bumi Sehat (translated as Healthy Earth) has treated nearly 113,000 patients and delivered nearly 4,000 babies for free in Bali, where rates of postpartum hemorrhage and maternal and infant mortality are among the highest in the world. “Ibu” (Mother) Robin is a midwife, well-known author and talented poet who has dedicated the last 13 years of her life to this clinic, despite constant financial, cultural and geographic challenges.

“The earthquake that we just had last month…was big enough that we have cracks in the building. The floor started to rise up in one of the birth rooms because of the movement underneath the ground. About twenty minutes after one of our moms gave birth, the floor actually exploded,” Robin told Maternally Yours last Wednesday. “When that happened, I committed in my heart to winning. Should we be gifted that money…from CNN on Sunday night, it will go toward building that clinic.”

Speaking from the Texas home of her daughter Deja Bernhardt (who directed the film Guerrilla Midwife about Robin’s work), Robin told Maternally Yours how she was feeling en route to Los Angeles to find out if she would be named CNN Hero of the Year. “I would say that nervous is one good word; I think it’s because it’s so much bigger than me,” said Robin. “I feel like this is the time for people to come out and vote for the concerns of mothers and babies and children, and that woman-to-woman, midwife-to-mother model of care.”

And, for eleven weeks straight, people voted.

During her acceptance speech last night, Robin Lim made a tearful plea for the world’s help in reducing maternal and infant mortality.

"Today on our Earth, 981 mothers in the prime of their life will die—and tomorrow again, and yesterday," said Robin. "We don't even know how many babies are lost, but all of us can help change that. The very best way that I know is to support your midwifery to mother care, so that the midwives can help lower the risks of motherhood, and we can save lives together—mothers and babies.”

Robin Lim is a friend and listener of Maternally Yours, which seeks to educate and inform women and families about the options, support, and evidence-based best practices available to them in maternal-child healthcare. “What you’re doing…is an exciting thing,” said Robin. “In this day and age, we’ve lost that radio medicine. You’re bringing it back in a beautiful way.”

To hear the exclusive Maternally Yours interview with 2011 CNN Hero of the Year Robin Lim, please tune into WSLR 96.5 LPFM Tuesday evening, December 13, at 6:00pm. The program is also available via live streaming on wslr.org, and podcast atpodomatic.com/profile/maternallyyoursradio. For more information, please contact the hostesses of Maternally Yours at MaternallyYoursRadio@gmail.com.

About Maternally Yours: Maternally Yours is Sarasota's Conversation about Pregnancy, Childbirth and Early Motherhood. The Conversation airs on Tuesday nights at 6:00pm on YOUR Community Radio Station, WSLR 96.5 LPFM. The hostesses of Maternally Yours are Cheryl Kindred, Carmela Pedicini, Ryan Stanley and Laura Gilkey. The mission of Maternally Yours is to educate and inform our community about the options, support, and evidence-based best practices available to them in maternal-child healthcare.

About Bumi Sehat: Founded in 1995, Bumi Sehat is a non-profit, village-based organization that runs two by-donation community health centers in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia. We provide over 17,000 health consultations for both children and adults per year. Midwifery services to ensure gentle births is at the heart of Bumi Sehat and our clinics welcome approximately 600 new babies into the world each year. For more information, please visit www.balibumisehat.org.

About WSLR 96.5 LPFM: WSLR is an innovative, listener-supported, non-profit, non-commercial FM radio station dedicated to serving the Sarasota community. WSLR features locally produced programming and presents cultural, artistic, and political perspectives currently underrepresented in the media. Our goal is to inform and empower listeners to play an active role in WSLR and in their community. WSLR’s programming promotes equality, peace, sustainability, democracy, and social and economic justice. For more information, please visit www.wslr.org.

Sarasota Leads Statewide Prematurity Awareness Month Campaign

Would you please pass the cranberry sauce and the facts?

Just as families are preparing to gather together in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions (FAHSC) and March of Dimes Florida Chapter are launching a campaign as part of Prematurity Awareness Month (November). “Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait” is designed to raise awareness about the myths and risks of premature births, as well as educate the public about the importance of staying pregnant at least 39 weeks if a pregnancy is healthy.

According to studies, a growing number of babies are delivered between 37 and 39 weeks. Many of these births occur as a result of planned or scheduled deliveries that are not medically necessary. Nationally, labor induction rates during these weeks have more than doubled from 9.5 percent in 1990 to nearly 23 percent in 2006. In Florida, preterm birth rates increased from 12.8 percent in 2000 to 13.5 percent in 2009. Sarasota is one of seven priority communities leading the statewide community education campaign being launched by FAHSC and Florida March of Dimes in observance of Prematurity Awareness Month. Hospitals in these communities are participating in a statewide quality initiative to reduce elective deliveries.

Non-medically required preterm deliveries pose increased risks to an infant’s life including neonatal hospitalizations, death, respiratory stresses, developmental delays and learning disabilities.

“We are pleased that our coalition and community have been selected to lead statewide education efforts to reduce the risk of babies who are affected by late preterm deliveries and non-medically necessary inductions and c-sections,” said Jennifer Highland, Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc. “There is an alarming misconception among many that a baby is full term and ready for delivery at 36 weeks…so, unfortunately, we see a lot of mothers seeking to schedule C-sections or induced deliveries when there is no medical reason to do so. This campaign will help Sarasota citizens understand that the last weeks of pregnancy actually do count.”

Sarasota is joined by Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Tampa and Santa Rosa County as lead participants in the “Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait” statewide campaign, being implemented by the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions with funding from the March of Dimes.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education and advocacy. For more information, visit marchofdimes.com/florida.

Founded in 1991, the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions is a statewide network of 32 Healthy Start Coalitions that exchange and disseminate resources and information designed to improve maternal and child health. FAHSC was awarded a March of Dimes Florida Chapter Community grant in March to educate Florida women, families, medical professionals and providers about preterm risks.

Local Businesses Leading Electric Vehicle Charge

With the help of EcoTechnologies, Inc., Florida's leading renewable energy and energy conservation integrator, a handful of forward-thinking businesses and municipalities are leading the charge to bring electric vehicles to the Suncoast. By installing charging stations in their parking lots, businesses like Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/Bradenton-Airport, developed and constructed by Sarasota-based Finergy Development and Firmo Construction, plan to attract more of the zero-emissions vehicles to our community.

EcoTechnologies, Inc. supports businesses committed to this initiative, and has helped many obtain awards for charging equipment through the ChargePoint America Program, whose aim is to install 4600 stations nationwide by month’s end. Owners are responsible for footing the bill for the equipment’s installation and operation costs, but for Eric Collin, Executive Vice President of Finergy Development, the decision made sense.

"This is a logical continuation for us,” says Collin, whose hotel was the first in Sarasota to earn the US Green Building Certification, and the first of its chain to earn a LEED® Silver Certification. “We want to keep our properties on the leading edge of sustainability."

Charging stations like the ones being installed at Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/Bradenton-Airport are part of Coloumb's ChargePoint Network, the world’s most advanced and easy to use electric vehicle-charging infrastructure. The charging stations are designed to accommodate electric vehicles (EV’s) as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (visit www.pluginamerica.org/vehicles for a current list of electric vehicles). Today’s plug-in EV’s typically do not require gasoline, but recharge their large on-board batteries with electricity. The typical result is an efficiency of over 100 miles per gallon – a two-fold increase over conventional hybrids.

Those interested in the future of electric vehicles are encouraged to attend the unveiling of the new charging stations at Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/Bradenton-Airport, located at 975 University Parkway in Sarasota, on Wednesday, November 2,, 2011. A ribbon-cutting will be held at 4:30pm, during which guests can see the latest electric vehicles plugging in. A reception inside the hotel will follow from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, hosted by the General Manager, Michelle Siese and her team. For more information, please contact Michelle Siese at the Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/Bradenton-Airport at (941) 355-8140 ext. 600 or Michelle.Siese@hilton.com or contact Ken Stokes, EcoTechnologies consultant at (813) 789-1262 or Ken@EcoTechnoUSA.com.

About EcoTechnologies, Inc.: EcoTechnologies is Florida's EcoSquad for Solar Power, PhotoVoltiacs, Solar Hot Water Heater, Electric Vehicle Car Charging Stations, Energy Saving Cooling Systems and BioBased Spray Foam Insulation Systems. A full-service, green building and remodeling integrator for Florida's green homes, businesses and institutions, EcoTechnologies includes consulting, design, installation and customer service. EcoTechnologies is located at 2101 47th Street, Sarasota, Florida 34234, (941) 364-5900 and online at www.EcoTechnoUSA.com. INTERVIEWS, MEDIA TOURS, AND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR NEWS STORIES AT THE CONVENIENCE OF THE PRESS. PLEASE CALL KEN STOKES AT (813) 789-1262.

Sarasota Community Acupuncture Goes Co-op

In September, Sarasota Community Acupuncture joined the People's Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA). POCA is a cooperative whose mission is to provide accessible and affordable acupuncture.

In Community Acupuncture, patients rest in recliners in a shared space. Small, thin needles are placed in a patient's lower legs, lower arms, and head in order to treat everything in between. A sliding fee scale allows more patients, regardless of income or insurance, to receive enough treatments to experience relief from chronic and acute stress and pain, as well as improvement in symptoms and root causes of illness and injury.

As a multi-stakeholder cooperative, POCA brings together practitioners, students, clinics, patients, and organizations, all working together to make community acupuncture economically sustainable and socially just. Every POCA member has a vote in the organization. Individuals can contribute their skills and leadership in clearly defined self-organizing circles, as part of POCA's dynamic governance structure. Benefits are based on membership categories--patient, acupuncturist, clinic, or organization--benefits such as free treatment cards, access to a national clinic and job network, employer support documents, a POCA cooperative newsletter, and more. All members have access to affordable acupuncture at any POCA clinic.

Community Acupuncture is practiced in Canada, Britain, Australia, Israel, and the United States. Acupuncture is offered on a sliding fee scale of $15 - $35, with a one-time $10 new patient orientation fee. No income verification is required.

To make an appointment, contact Sarasota Community Acupuncture (941) 922-4611 at 3615 Webber Street Sarasota, FL 34232, or www.sarasotacommunityacupuncture.com. To learn more about POCA, please visit www.pocacoop.com, or contact Karen Grosskreutz, POCA Membership Coordinator at 971-400-8739, pocacoop@gmail.com.

Sarasota Community Acupuncture is a famly practice committed to cultivating health with the practitioner and the patient in partnership. The mission of SCA is to provide the community with high quality and affordable acupuncture, and to create a treatment space that connects people and builds community. For more information, please visit www.sarasotacommunityacupuncture.com, or call (941) 922-4611 for an appointment at our clinic, located at 3615 Webber Street in Sarasota, Florida.

Four Sarasota Mothers Launch Radio Program

Earlier this month, four Sarasota mothers launched a weekly radio program dedicated to maternal health. “Maternally Yours: Sarasota’s Conversation about Pregnancy, Childbirth and Early Motherhood” airs every Tuesday night at 6:30pm on Sarasota’s community radio station, WSLR 96.5 LPFM. It is the first ever local broadcast dedicated to the subject, and WSLR’s first program hosted by a collective of women.

Maternally Yours is an opportunity for Sarasota to learn about issues affecting pregnant families, infants, and young children from a consumer perspective. The program will be hosted on a rotating basis by four women well-known in the community for their expertise in the areas of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The hostesses will invite local experts in the fields of midwifery, obstetrics, nursing, pediatrics, healthcare administration, breastfeeding, doula work, public health, and consumer advocacy, as well as (and often) parents who might share their experience on a given topic. The show will offer listeners a broad range of perspectives and opinions incorporating all models of maternity care available.

“This is such a balanced, judgment-free, thoughtful, refreshing show,” says Sarasota mother Abby Weingarten. “What a gift to our community!”

The hostesses of Maternally Yours are Cheryl Kindred, Carmela Pedicini, Ryan Stanley and Laura Gilkey. Cheryl is a certified birth doula, birth assistant, childbirth educator, MotherBaby advocate and leads local groups for Babywearing education and postpartum support. Carmela is an Independent Childbirth Educator, Certified Lactation Counselor, Licensed Practical Nurse, and local musician. Ryan is a long-time Sarasotan and young mother whose daughter’s birth shifted her career path toward Postpartum Doula certification. Laura is an advocate for evidence-based maternity care, a board member for Florida Friends of Midwives and the Healthy Start Coalition, author of the blog Born in Sarasota, and marketing director for The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project.

The unifying voice of the programmers is a genuine desire to empower women to take control of their bodies, their pregnancies, their births, and the raising of their children. “We all believe deeply in informed consent and allowing families to make their own choices,” says Laura. “The best way for them to do so is with evidence, information, and support.”

To listen to Maternally Yours, please tune into WSLR 96.5 LPFM every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm. The program is also available via live streaming on wslr.org, and podcast atpodomatic.com/profile/maternallyyoursradio. For more information, please contact the hostesses of Maternally Yours at MaternallyYoursRadio@gmail.com, or call (941) 915-8115.

About Maternally Yours: Maternally Yours is Sarasota's Conversation about Pregnancy, Childbirth and Early Motherhood. The Conversation airs on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm on YOUR Community Radio Station, WSLR 96.5 LPFM. The mission of Maternally Yours is to educate and inform our community about the options, support, and evidence-based best practices available to them in maternal-child healthcare.

Florida Celebrates Midwives Week this October

Florida Friends of Midwives is proud to join the American College of Nurse Midwives, theMidwives Association of Florida, and communities statewide in celebrating National Midwifery Week and Florida Licensed Midwives Week during the first week in October.

Midwifery Week is a chance for midwives and the women they serve to reflect on their experiences and midwifery's contributions to women's health care, including attending births and providing well-woman care. Throughout Florida, regional groups of Florida Friends of Midwives are celebrating with awareness events, social gatherings and local Mayor's proclamations.

One such proclamation will be read at the Sarasota City Commission meeting October 3rd. “Midwives make a strong contribution to the health and well-being of mothers and babies through proper care and treatment in all phases of childbirth," says Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell. “I look forward to welcoming all those involved in this important effort.”

Midwives have a long and valued history in Florida. The state first passed legislation to license direct-entry midwives in 1931, and the first Certified Nurse Midwife was licensed in Florida in 1970. Florida’s midwives have continued to tirelessly serve the families of Florida and to ensure the continued availability of safe, evidence-based birthing options for Florida’s families.

Florida Friends of Midwives celebrates midwives in Florida and throughout the world during this special week. For more information about midwifery in Florida, please visit flmidwifery.org.

ABOUT FLORIDA FRIENDS OF MIDWIVES (FFOM): Florida Friends of Midwives (FFOM) is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting the Midwives Model of Care and supporting the practice of midwifery in Florida. Florida Friends of Midwives was formed to support midwives who offer safe, cost-effective, evidence based care to Florida's Families. FFOM members are consumers and birth advocates committed to organizing the community to support midwives and to assure the continued availability of midwifery care in the State of Florida. For more information, please visit flmidwifery.org.

September: Infant Mortality Awareness Month

September is National Infant Mortality Month, but for Orlando midwife Jennie Joseph and her dedicated team, the fight to provide quality prenatal care to all expecting mothers and reduce the high infant mortality rate is a year-round campaign.

“Simply put, our babies are dying!” states Joseph, executive director of Commonsense Childbirth Inc. and the founder of The JJ Way® Maternity Health Care System, a program that successfully demonstrates reduced levels of infant mortality. “People just don’t realize the impact of infant mortality in our communities.” Joseph’s innovative maternal child health (MCH) program is designed to educate the public, community leaders, and elected officials on te need to reduce infant mortality and the practical steps to achieving that goal.

Joseph, who also operates The Birth Place, a multi-site birthing center , women’s health clinic and midwifery training program in Central Florida, remains committed to eliminating one of this country’s saddest and most preventable medical concerns – the high death rate among African American newborns and babies under the age of one. Statistics show that the infant mortality rate among African-Americans continues to be more than twice the rate among White babies and, according to a new report out just last week, babies in the United States have a higher risk of dying during their first month of life than do babies born in 40 other countries[1].

Medical experts agree that the two most prevalent causes of high infant mortality are premature births before the 37th week of pregnancy, and low birth weight. The Florida infant mortality rate has hovered around 8% for all races and 14% for African American women annually[2]. “These fragile babies are actually a result ,” says Joseph. “The cause is the lack of access to quality maternity healthcare as well as a lack of education and support, particularly for disenfranchised women who face multiple obstacles to finding help.”

A 2007 study[3] conducted at The Birth Place, utilizing The JJ Way® Maternity Health Care System, provided 100 participants with education, support and vital prenatal care. As a result, there were only 4 low birth weight babies born overall and no low birth weight babies to the African American or Hispanic women in the study. While national agencies such as Healthy Start and March of Dimes have led the charge by stressing the need to address this serious issue, Joseph believes that increased community awareness is essential to the campaign to eliminate these disparities. To that end, Commonsense Childbirth and The JJ Way® have developed extensive training and certification programs to increase the number of maternity healthcare providers, doulas, childbirth educators and community agencies willing to tackle this problem.

Additional information including a video can be found at http://commonsensechildbirth.org/jj-way.

Jennie Joseph will be speaking at Bentley’s Cafe (805 Donald Ross Road Juno Beach) at 6:30pm on September 23rd. The event is open to the public. Ms. Joseph will also be holding a Doula Training September 24th and 25th at the Palm Beach Marriott. For more details regarding these events or information about Commonsense Childbirth, The Birth Place or The JJ Way, please contact Kathy Bradley at (321) 213-1112 or email kathy.ccsmidwifery@gmail.com.

[1] http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/newborn-death-rates-1849/

[2] http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/pdflib/999/pds_12_all.pdf

[3] Funded by Winter Park Health Foundation, Evaluated by Health Council of East Central Florida

RISE: Sarasota's First Kitchen Share

For many culinary entrepreneurs, the initial investment of launching a food business is enough to squash their dreams. Sarasota baker and local food enthusiast Christine Nordstrom knows these challenges first hand, and has seen them stand in the way of success for many talented chefs in her own community. This summer, she decided to do something about it. Introducing RISE, Sarasota’s first licensed commercial kitchen share.

RISE makes it possible to start a food based business for a fraction of the cost by providing all inclusive hourly or monthly rent to clients that fits their individual needs. Each client is required to obtain their own licensing, permits and liability insurance to operate a business in the state of Florida. However, RISE offers much more than refrigeration and oven space; experts are available for consultation, guidance though the food business licensing process, culinary education, and referrals every step along the way. RISE allows an idea to become a viable product.

“Every Saturday, it seemed I would meet another person with a dream,” says Nordstrom, whose bakery SIFT is a cornerstone of the Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market. “Each conversation would end in the same way—I’d learn they didn’t have the financial investment or space needed to execute their ideas.”

Nordstrom did some market research and learned that commercial shared kitchens are thriving in larger markets throughout the country. “It’s a win-win situation. Local food, local business, and local dreams are all being supported here.”

For more information about RISE or to schedule an initial consultation with owner Christine Nordstrom, please call (941)306-6072 or email christine@watchmerise.com.

ABOUT RISE: RISE is a licensed commercial kitchen share where you can dream, create, produce and RISE. We will help your food based business grow in any way we can, from consultation to facility rental. Please call Christine Nordstrom at (941) 306-6072 or visit www.watchmerise.com for more information.

Rosemary Birthing Home Launches New Website

Rosemary Birthing Home, one of two freestanding birth centers in Sarasota, has launched a comprehensive new website (www.rosemarybirthinghome.com). The website was designed to inform families that are pregnant or considering pregnancy about the Midwives Model of Care, and to illustrate the strong community that midwifery creates.

Rosemary Birthing Home’s new website was designed and developed locally by Max Kelly Design and Seven Thirty Three, and coordinated by Kangaroo Promotions, Inc. All of the photographs on the site, with the exception of the client photo gallery, were taken of Rosemary families by Valerie Joy Photography. The site includes information for fathers and big siblings, waterbirth videos, birth announcements, meetings and events held at the birthing home, and an extensive resource guide. “Anyone considering pregnancy or looking to choose a maternity care provider should visit this website,” says project manager Laura Gilkey. “It really illustrates the kind of expert, gentle care that midwives provide. The faces in their clients’ photos say it all.”

Rosemary Birthing Home was established in 2003 and is owned and operated by Licensed Midwives. A free-standing birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care embedded with the philosophy that birth is a normal, healthy process that most often requires no medical intervention.

For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com.

About Rosemary Birthing Home: Established in 2003, Rosemary Birthing Home is a free-standing birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District. Owned and operated by Florida licensed midwives, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care, birth center births, home births, water births, pre-pregnancy nutrition counseling, postpartum care, support groups, lactation counseling, complete childbirth education, a lending library and more. A free orientation to Rosemary Birthing Home is offered by appointment at (941) 228-7303. For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com.

Local Businesses Join Healthy Start to Collect Diapers in August

No child should ever wear the same diaper all day. The unfortunate reality is that here in Sarasota County, one in three families in struggles with providing the bare necessities for their babies. With the cost of diapers at more than $100 each month per child, many parents must make the difficult choice between diapers and food. Infants who don’t have a clean diaper are likely to suffer from painful urinary tract infections and other serious complications.

Throughout the month of August, the Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc., a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of pregnant women, infants, and young children in Sarasota County, is collecting diapers to give to families in need. You can donate unopened packages of diapers (cloth or disposable) and wipes at several convenient locations. Cash donations to purchase diapers will also be accepted at the Healthy Start Coalition office. Healthy Start will also be collecting donations at the Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 13th.

Drop-off locations include:

• Healthy Start Coalition Office (also accepting cash donations) at 1750 17th Street, Building A
• Healthy Start Program Office, 2nd Floor, Sarasota County Health Department, 2200 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota
• Birthways Family Birth Center, 4222 McIntosh Lane, Sarasota, FL 34232
• Rosemary Birthing Home, 800 Central Ave. Sarasota
• Media on Main, 1341 Main Street, Downtown Sarasota
• Jackson Hewitt Beneva Office; 5779 Beneva Road, Sarasota
• Jackson Hewitt Venice Office, 545 US HWY 41 Bypass, Venice, FL
• Bippy Diapers, 4911 14th St. W., Ste. 204, Bradenton FL 34207
• Walgreens, 3155 University Pkwy., Sarasota FL 34243
• Walgreens, 3535 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
• Walgreens, 1700 N Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34234
• Walgreens, 1947 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34236
• Walgreens, 3550 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237
• Walgreens, 5800 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34233

For more information, please contact Ciera Galbraith, Education and Development Coordinator for The Healthy Start Coalition, 941-373-7070, ext. 303.

AC Company Keeps Sarasota Cool in Record Heat

Just in time for this summer’s record heat wave, Southwest Florida has a new choice in air conditioning service technology. Kinetic Air Services, led by experienced managing partner Lee Senseman, is the product of an evolutionary vision of home indoor air service, providing custom tailored air system solutions to clients in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Kinetic Air Services was founded on the principle that clean air matters to the health of our homes, our families, and our community. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers to the public. Kinetic Air Services focuses on proper air exchange, filtration, and purification, their three tenets of healthy indoor air quality. Kinetic’s technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) and EPA certified, have extensive experience in the HVAC industry, and back their work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for service, repair and comfort.

Lee Senseman’s experience and industry involvement dates back to 1976, when he completed trade school and began work as a field technician. He moved to the Suncoast in 1985 and he then continued to evolve as a senior commercial technician, successful service manager and most recently as principal at several prominent firms. After 35 years in the industry, Senseman had cultivated a vision of providing top quality, thorough and affordable air services to our community. “Over the years, I have developed a systemic approach to providing indoor air quality that just isn’t being offered elsewhere,” says Senseman. “I decided to openKinetic Air Services to better assist my clients and my community.”

Kinetic Air Services is a full spectrum air service company. They begin by providing a complete assessment of an existing system, focused on maximizing performance and reducing energy costs, to determine the most appropriate service plan for each client. From the design and implementation of complete air distribution systems to the installation of filtration, purification, ventilation and dehumidification components to unmatched cleaning and repair, Kinetic Air Services is a concierge service for your home’s health. Please visit www.kineticairservices.com or call (941) 748-8488 for more information or to schedule an assessment today.

About Kinetic Air Services: An evolution in HVAC business philosophy, Kinetic Air Services is dedicated to providing whole home care solutions. With concierge-level service and professionalism, our master technicians will provide affordable and timely guaranteed comfort. For more information or to contact Kinetic Air Services, please visit www.kineticairservices.com or call (941) 748-8848.

Sarasota Architectural Foundation Welcomes Michael Gilkey, Jr. to Present Modern Landscapes

The Sarasota Architectural Foundation is showcasing the work of landscape architects next week by welcoming Sarasota landscape architect Michael Gilkey, Jr., ASLA, to join their acclaimed lecture series. The presentation will be held in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Community Room on Thursday, May 19, at 5:30 pm.

Michael Gilkey, Jr. is a Florida licensed landscape architect and president of Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. (www.magilkey.com), a landscape architecture, contracting and maintenance studio in Sarasota, Florida. Gilkey specializes in residential design-build landscape architecture in Southwest Florida. He brings a passion for design, horticulture, and conceptual process to his firm and to the community.

“I was honored when the Sarasota Architectural Foundation invited me to speak,” said Gilkey. “They are sharing with our community what Sarasota architecture looks like as a historical imprint, part of a greater context. To be invited to share my perspective is a great compliment.”

During his presentation, Gilkey will introduce his profession explain his design process from an architectural vantage point. He will explore what makes a landscape sustainable, and will showcase the work of his firm and our community while engaging the audience in casual conversation.

Event: Michael Gilkey, Jr. Presents Modern Landscapes, Thursday, May 19, 5:30 pm

Address: 1741 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236

Admission: $15 SAF & AIA members - $25 non members

Reservations: info@sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org | 941-364-2199

About Sarasota Architectural Foundation: The mission of the Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF) is to promote preservation and awareness of Sarasota's architecture and design, beginning with the Sarasota School of Architecture and beyond. SAF was formed to focus on the ongoing preservation and celebration of the Sarasota School structures, and the promotion of architectural excellence within the Sarasota community. For more information, please visit www.sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org or call 941-364-2199.

About Michael A. Gilkey, Inc.: Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. is a landscape architecture studio in Sarasota, Florida, established in 1981. Through a passion for pure design and personal relationships with architects, contractors and homeowners, Gilkey creates expressions of outdoor space that are direct translations of their clients’ visions. For more information, please visit www.magilkey.com or call (941) 924-0132.

Sarasota Community Acupuncture Offers Free Treatments May 1st

Sarasota Community Acupuncture, along with community acupuncture clinics nationwide, is celebrating International Worker’s Day or ‘May Day’ by offering free acupuncture to all patients on May 1st. Sarasota Community Acupuncture belongs to the Community Acupuncture Network, now in its ninth year of celebrating May Day through offering free treatments.

May Day is a celebration of the international labor movement. It is typically celebrated through street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labor unions throughout most of the world. “The philosophy and mission of Sarasota Community Acupuncture is to make acupuncture affordable for everyone, regardless of economic status,” says Gene Burgess, AP, co-owner of Sarasota Community Acupuncture. “Celebrating the working class is a fitting way to express that to our community.”

Sarasota Community Acupuncture will offer free treatments to all patients on Sunday, May 1st from 3 to 6pm. Recliner space is limited, so please call for an appointment at (941) 922-4611. Sarasota Community Acupuncture is located at 3615 Webber Street. For current clinic hours or to learn more about Community Acupuncture, please call (941) 922-4611 or visit www.sarasotacommunityacupuncture.com.

What is Community Acupuncture?

Community Acupuncture is based on the philosophy that acupuncture therapy needs to be consistent, not expensive, to be effective. Most American acupuncturists see one patient per hour and charge anywhere from $60 to $125 per treatment. Sarasota Community Acupuncture sets itself apart with a unique sliding scale ranging from $15 to $45 per treatment. Acupuncture can be made affordable by treating in a small group setting, using several recliners clustered together in a quiet soothing space.

Sarasota Community Acupuncture is a famly practice committed to cultivating health with the practitioner and the patient in partnership. The mission of SCA is to provide the community with high quality and affordable acupuncture, and to create a treatment space that connects people and builds community. For more information, please visit www.sarasotacommunityacupuncture.com, or call (941) 922-4611 for an appointment at our clinic, located at 3615 Webber Street in Sarasota, Florida.

World Renowned Architect Tod Williams Comes to Sarasota March 30

Internationally renowned architect Tod Williams, FAIA, will present his award-winning body of work Wednesday, March 30, at 5:30 pm at the Hyatt Regency Conference Center in Sarasota. This event is presented by the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, theGulf Coast Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and the University of Florida School of Architecture.

The work of Tod Williams, principal of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, has been published extensively both in the United States and overseas, and repeatedly honored by The American Institute of Architects. The firm has received National AIA Awards for a dormitory at Princeton University, the Spiegel Pool House addition, and for two projects in New York City (the Quandt loft and the Go Silk Showroom). In 1997, the firm won a National Honor Award for the Neurosciences Institute, and in 2001 they received two more, for a natatorium at the Cranbrook School and for a house on Long Island. In 2002 they were honored for the American Folk Art Museum, the first new museum built in New York City in over three decades. In the same year the museum also received the Arup World Architecture award for the Best Building in the World.

“We see architecture as an act of profound optimism,” says Williams. “Its foundation lies in believing that it is possible to make places on the earth that can give a sense of grace to life.”

Event: Tod Williams: The Art of Architecture, Wednesday, March 30, 5:30 pm

Address: 1000 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236

Admission: $15 SAF & AIA members - $25 non members

Reservations: info@sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org | 941-364-2199

About Sarasota Architectural Foundation: The mission of the Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF) is to promote preservation and awareness of Sarasota's architecture and design, beginning with the Sarasota School of Architecture and beyond. SAF was formed to focus on the ongoing preservation and celebration of the Sarasota School structures, and the promotion of architectural excellence within the Sarasota community. For more information, please visit www.sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org or call 941-364-2199.