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Be Twice the Doctor

Providing lifesaving maternal healthcare & fistula repair in remote Africa

Around the world, approximately 800 women die every day from birth-related injuries such as fistula. More than half of these are in sub-Saharan Africa. The Barbara May Foundation funds projects that provide dignity and safety for underprivileged women in birth.

Established in 2009, the Barbara May Foundation (BMF) provides funding to Australian medical professionals Valerie Browning AM and Dr Andrew Browning AM initiating and managing projects in remote East Africa (Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Northern Uganda) that relieve the high incidence of death and extreme injury such as fistula in pregnancy and childbirth. They provide safety, dignity and hope. Maternal healthcare and medical services are provided at no cost, regardless of race or religion.

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Recently Dr Andrew Browning AM was honoured to be the Guest Speaker at the Scots College Speech Day, held at the Sydney Opera House. 

In his inspiring and challenging speech, Dr Browning shares a story from early in his career which has stayed with him all this time.

One of our charity’s core values is Respect: the tireless recognition and honouring of the dignity of others. This story shows just how much it matters.

Find out more about the work we do, and how you can get involved: Link in Bio

#MaternalHealth #MakeADifference #SafeMotherhood #ObstetricFistula #FistulaAwareness #MaternityCareForAll #ChangeMakers #AustralianCharity #CharityAU #BarbaraMayFoundation #sydneyoperahouse

Recently Dr Andrew Browning AM was honoured to be the Guest Speaker at the Scots College Speech Day, held at the Sydney Opera House.

In his inspiring and challenging speech, Dr Browning shares a story from early in his career which has stayed with him all this time.

One of our charity’s core values is Respect: the tireless recognition and honouring of the dignity of others. This story shows just how much it matters.

Find out more about the work we do, and how you can get involved: Link in Bio

#MaternalHealth #MakeADifference #SafeMotherhood #ObstetricFistula #FistulaAwareness #MaternityCareForAll #ChangeMakers #AustralianCharity #CharityAU #BarbaraMayFoundation #sydneyoperahouse
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If you've been wondering how our volunteers, Nathan, Darcy and Pat are doing over in Tanzania, we’re pleased to share they’ve settled straight into work and life at the hospital. They’ve even been learning some local lingo, as well as getting to meet the locals! 

What a joy to see Tanzania through their eyes! 

If you missed our recent post, these young men are currently volunteering their time to help update the medical records system at the Kivulini Maternity Centre in Tanzania. 

Find out more about Kivulini and support their incredible life-giving maternity services on our website (link in bio).

#CharityAU #tanzania #masai #BarbaraMayFoundation #volunteer #maternalhealth #changemakers

If you`ve been wondering how our volunteers, Nathan, Darcy and Pat are doing over in Tanzania, we’re pleased to share they’ve settled straight into work and life at the hospital. They’ve even been learning some local lingo, as well as getting to meet the locals!

What a joy to see Tanzania through their eyes!

If you missed our recent post, these young men are currently volunteering their time to help update the medical records system at the Kivulini Maternity Centre in Tanzania.

Find out more about Kivulini and support their incredible life-giving maternity services on our website (link in bio).

#CharityAU #tanzania #masai #BarbaraMayFoundation #volunteer #maternalhealth #changemakers
...

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Margaret was living – and suffering – with a fistula for over 50 years before she came to be treated at the Reconciliation Hospital in South Sudan. She was delighted to use a bed for the first time in her life, but most of all she was so happy to just have people sit and talk with her after being ostracised for so incredibly long. 

Hear her full story in this recording from our Giving Tuesday online event. 

We are grateful to be able to share such inspiring and impactful stories through social media. If you’d like to see more good news in your feed, please like and share this post, as it lets ‘the algorithm’ know you’re interested (and also helps us spread the word about the important work of treating and preventing fistula injuries!). 

#MaternalHealth #MakeADifference #SafeMotherhood #ObstetricFistula #FistulaAwareness #MaternityCareForAll #ChangeMakers #AustralianCharity #CharityAU #BarbaraMayFoundation #bethechange

Margaret was living – and suffering – with a fistula for over 50 years before she came to be treated at the Reconciliation Hospital in South Sudan. She was delighted to use a bed for the first time in her life, but most of all she was so happy to just have people sit and talk with her after being ostracised for so incredibly long.

Hear her full story in this recording from our Giving Tuesday online event.

We are grateful to be able to share such inspiring and impactful stories through social media. If you’d like to see more good news in your feed, please like and share this post, as it lets ‘the algorithm’ know you’re interested (and also helps us spread the word about the important work of treating and preventing fistula injuries!).

#MaternalHealth #MakeADifference #SafeMotherhood #ObstetricFistula #FistulaAwareness #MaternityCareForAll #ChangeMakers #AustralianCharity #CharityAU #BarbaraMayFoundation #bethechange
...

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Are you a health/medical professional in Melbourne, who would love to hear about making a difference in Africa, while sharing a traditional Ethiopian meal with other like-minded professionals? 👩‍⚕️

✨Invitation to a Medical Evening with Dr Andrew Browning AM in Melbourne in Feb✨

Come and hear from Dr Browning about his fistula and obstetric work in Africa!

All proceeds from the evening will go towards supporting the Barbara May Foundation’s lifesaving maternal healthcare and fistula repair in East Africa. 

(Please be aware this event is for healthcare professionals, rather than a general audience, as Dr Browning will be sharing confronting surgery photographs and detailed medical information.)

Click for more details and to purchase tickets: Link in Bio!

#vicmidwives #melbournematernity #monashobstetrics #theroyalwomenshospital #womenshealthmatters #maternity #epworth #obstetrician

Are you a health/medical professional in Melbourne, who would love to hear about making a difference in Africa, while sharing a traditional Ethiopian meal with other like-minded professionals? 👩‍⚕️

✨Invitation to a Medical Evening with Dr Andrew Browning AM in Melbourne in Feb✨

Come and hear from Dr Browning about his fistula and obstetric work in Africa!

All proceeds from the evening will go towards supporting the Barbara May Foundation’s lifesaving maternal healthcare and fistula repair in East Africa.

(Please be aware this event is for healthcare professionals, rather than a general audience, as Dr Browning will be sharing confronting surgery photographs and detailed medical information.)

Click for more details and to purchase tickets: Link in Bio!

#vicmidwives #melbournematernity #monashobstetrics #theroyalwomenshospital #womenshealthmatters #maternity #epworth #obstetrician
...

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Meet Pat, Nathan and Darcy!

These three friends (and soon-to-be university graduates) are heading to Tanzania to volunteer over their summer break! Here's a bit more about them.

“Most people choose to travel when they graduate, before starting full time work. We thought, what’s the most impactful trip that WE could take, in terms of shaping the rest of our lives?”

“We’ve read [widely about meaningful work in Africa] and thought we should go over and be involved in one of these sub-Saharan charities, to volunteer for an extensive period of time, and align that to what is complementary to our background and skillset.”

These young men work in software engineering and software product management, and will be able to provide much-needed support with our hospital systems at Kivulini Maternity Centre in Arusha, Tanzania.

None of them have been to Africa before, and are, needless to say, very excited for their upcoming trip!

Follow along their journey this summer! We hope to share regular updates from their trip with you.

#bethechange #tanzania #barbaramayfoundation #volunteering #australiancharity #maternalhealth

Meet Pat, Nathan and Darcy!

These three friends (and soon-to-be university graduates) are heading to Tanzania to volunteer over their summer break! Here`s a bit more about them.

“Most people choose to travel when they graduate, before starting full time work. We thought, what’s the most impactful trip that WE could take, in terms of shaping the rest of our lives?”

“We’ve read [widely about meaningful work in Africa] and thought we should go over and be involved in one of these sub-Saharan charities, to volunteer for an extensive period of time, and align that to what is complementary to our background and skillset.”

These young men work in software engineering and software product management, and will be able to provide much-needed support with our hospital systems at Kivulini Maternity Centre in Arusha, Tanzania.

None of them have been to Africa before, and are, needless to say, very excited for their upcoming trip!

Follow along their journey this summer! We hope to share regular updates from their trip with you.

#bethechange #tanzania #barbaramayfoundation #volunteering #australiancharity #maternalhealth
...

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Melkam Genna!
 
In Ethiopia, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th January.
 
We wish all our friends, our invaluable team and colleagues, and our dear patients in Ethiopia a very merry Christmas!

Melkam Genna!

In Ethiopia, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th January.

We wish all our friends, our invaluable team and colleagues, and our dear patients in Ethiopia a very merry Christmas!
...

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What an incredible year 2024 has been! 🤩

We would love to share some of our highlights with you. 
Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us and supported this life-giving work which we are blessed to be part of. 

Please view our full 2024 Impact Report and donate here: Link in Bio.

#australiancharity #MaternalHealth #barbaramayfoundation #midwivesaustralia #midwifery #obstetrics #yearinreview #nonprofit

What an incredible year 2024 has been! 🤩

We would love to share some of our highlights with you.
Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us and supported this life-giving work which we are blessed to be part of.

Please view our full 2024 Impact Report and donate here: Link in Bio.

#australiancharity #MaternalHealth #barbaramayfoundation #midwivesaustralia #midwifery #obstetrics #yearinreview #nonprofit
...

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**Update from Uganda** 

The construction of the Kworo Sonic Healthcare Foundation Hospital is officially underway! 🎉

This hospital will support an estimated 500,000 people in Northern Uganda. 

We will provide more updates as the build progresses.

We're immensely grateful to Sonic Healthcare Foundation for their steadfast support. 

Learn more with the link in the bio.
 
 #CommunityHealth #ConstructionUpdate  #BarbaraMayFoundation #tekworofoundation #sonichealthcarefoundation

**Update from Uganda**

The construction of the Kworo Sonic Healthcare Foundation Hospital is officially underway! 🎉

This hospital will support an estimated 500,000 people in Northern Uganda.

We will provide more updates as the build progresses.

We`re immensely grateful to Sonic Healthcare Foundation for their steadfast support.

Learn more with the link in the bio.

#CommunityHealth #ConstructionUpdate #BarbaraMayFoundation #tekworofoundation #sonichealthcarefoundation
...

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We are pleased to announce that Professor Jonathan Morris AM, MB, ChB, FRANZCOG, CMFM, DDU, PhD, FAHMS has been appointed Chair of the Barbara May Foundation. 

Professor Morris is a respected and highly experienced clinician and researcher in high-risk pregnancies. He has held several key positions in the past and is already a current Board Member of the Barbara May Foundation. He brings invaluable expertise in fostering collaborations across Australia and internationally to enhance access to safe maternal care.

And, on top of everything, Professor Morris and his wife are currently visiting and volunteering on the ground in Tanzania at the Kivulini Maternity Centre.

Please find more information here: (Link in Bio)

#MaternityAfrica #barbaramayfoundation #auscharity #maternalhealthcare #volunteer @maternityafrica

We are pleased to announce that Professor Jonathan Morris AM, MB, ChB, FRANZCOG, CMFM, DDU, PhD, FAHMS has been appointed Chair of the Barbara May Foundation.

Professor Morris is a respected and highly experienced clinician and researcher in high-risk pregnancies. He has held several key positions in the past and is already a current Board Member of the Barbara May Foundation. He brings invaluable expertise in fostering collaborations across Australia and internationally to enhance access to safe maternal care.

And, on top of everything, Professor Morris and his wife are currently visiting and volunteering on the ground in Tanzania at the Kivulini Maternity Centre.

Please find more information here: (Link in Bio)

#MaternityAfrica #barbaramayfoundation #auscharity #maternalhealthcare #volunteer @maternityafrica
...

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