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An Annual Cross-Canada Celebration
Did you know that May 28th is National Multiple Births Awareness Day? Established in 2005 by Multiple Births Canada, this date has been designated as the day for raising national awareness of the unique issues faced by multiple-birth individuals and their families. The date is symbolic as it is the birth date of the Dionne quintuplets, who have helped Canadians to better understand the challenges faced by Canada’s multiple-birth community.
As well as educating others, National Multiple Births Awareness Day provides a venue to unite and celebrate our personal journeys as parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, spouses, daycare and service providers, educators, and health professionals supporting Canada’s multiple-birth community.
Ideas and information on how to celebrate are detailed below.
For 2008, the theme is — "Multiple Births Canada encourages all health care professionals providing fertility advice and/or treatments to fully disclose all risks associated with a multiple pregnancy and birth, including all negative and positive outcomes, to enable patients to make informed decisions."
Multiple Births Canada will contact national media directly; however it is equally important that MBC members, Chapters and non-affiliate groups do their part to connect with media in their local communities. To assist Canada’s multiple-birth community in reaching all journalists with this year’s key messages, MBC encourages the distribution of the following documents (Media Kit):
- Media Release – to be released on or after May 28, 2008
- Backgrounder – information on the 2008 theme
- Resource – Multiple-birth children and their families following ART – by Jane Denton and Elizabeth Bryan.
Published in "Current practices and controversies in assisted reproduction, Report of a WHO meeting."
- Sound bytes recorded by Gail Moore, Director of Communications, Multiple Births Canada.
- "Multiple Births Canada encourages all health care professionals providing fertility advice and/or treatments to fully disclose all risks associated with a multiple pregnancy and birth, including all negative and positive outcomes, to enable patients to make informed decisions."
(download mp3 - 244kB)
- “There appears to be an inconsistency in how the fertility industry counsels its patients. Some survey respondents praised their specialists, while others commented they should have been offered a lot more information about the risks of a multiple pregnancy before starting IVF.” (download mp3 - 229kB)
- “Multiple Births Canada is calling for Canadian health care professionals providing fertility advice and/or treatments to fully educate their patients early in the process. MBC believes information provided to patients should include that there is increased risk of death and disability for multiple-birth babies, more complications for the mother during pregnancy, and longer-term consequences for the welfare of multiple-birth families.” (download mp3 - 365kB)
- Survey Results (PDF 68kB)
- List of 2008 National Multiple Births Awareness Day activities across Canada
Celebration Ideas and Planning Information
Here are some resources used annually by MBC in celebrating National Multiple Births Awareness Day!
A 2008 Calendar of Activities
A 2008 Calendar of Activities listing various events happening across the country to mark National Multiple Births Awareness Day will be posted on this website as event details are confirmed. Check back regularly!
(This page was last updated - May 8, 2008)
Barrie Parents of Twins and More
4th Annual Spring Picnic & National Multiple Births Awareness Day
Anten Mills Community Centre
3985 Horseshoe Valley Road W)
May 31st, 2008
11:00am - 2:00pm
Games, prizes, cake & BBQ fundraiser
Open invitation to all multiple-birth families and multiple-birth individuals of all ages in Simcoe County.
RSVP by May 20th # of adults & children attending
phone 733-3022 or by email 2008picnic@live.ca
www.multiplebirthscanada.org/~barrie
Durham Region Parents of Multiple Births Association (POMBA)
Multiple Births Awareness Day at Mega Fun 4 Kids Indoor Playground
May 28th, 2008
9:30 - 11:30 am
Details:
Please join DRPOMBA to celebrate Multiple Births Awareness Day! Generously sponsored by Mega Fun 4 Kids Indoor Playground, this event promises to be a great morning for everyone! Bring the kids out for a fun-filled morning to mark the occasion.
DRPOMBA will provide snacks and juice for the children. Remember your socks! Shoes and/or bare feet not allowed! Thank you to Mega Fun 4 Kids for donating use of the indoor playground for this event!
Please RSVP by Sunday May 25th to let us know if you can make it. We need an estimate of how many members will be attending, however, if you are able to join us at the last minute please do so!
Information
For more information about National Multiple Births Awareness Day, please call the MBC Business Office toll free at 1-866-228-8824 or email us at communications@multiplebirthscanada.org.
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