For Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts

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During the dozen years that she pursued a modeling career, Christy Turlington Burns forever cemented her supermodel status. Rising to fame at age 14 and leaving the catwalk behind by 26, Turlington Burns became one of the most recognizable faces in fashion and beyond. In addition to attending university and starting two retail lines, one for skincare and another for yoga apparel, she went on to use her renown to support health and social justice campaigns, speaking out against smoking and advocating for women’s maternal safety. The latter is especially significant to Turlington Burns, who experienced a near-fatal postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to her first daughter, Grace, in 2003. Since then, she has been a fierce advocate for spreading awareness about maternal health. First working with the international organization CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) in 2005, Turlington Burns founded her own non-profit, Every Mother Counts, in 2010, which is dedicated to improving maternal health across the world, including the United States.

“We are advocating for improved access to safe and respectful maternity care for all,” Turlington Burns tells CR. “When we ensure this access for women, everyone benefits–women, children, families, and communities.” The impact of EMC’s mission affects the world at large, as nearly all global maternal deaths–which occur once every two minutes–are preventable. Through the organization, Turlington Burns has shared her own story and other women’s in the hope of educating and affecting change. According to the activist, one way it raises awareness about the community-led programs it supports in the U.S., Haiti, Guatemala, Tanzania, India, and Bangladesh is, “by humanizing women’s experiences through storytelling, which puts real faces to statistics and elevates women’s voices. This has helped to educate the public and inspire policy change in each of these countries in different ways.”

Because of her commitment to using her platform for positive change and initiating a much-needed conversation about women’s wellness, Turlington Burns was named one of this year’s Harper’s Bazaar ICONS. Defined by their trailblazing tendencies, the ICONS disrupt the world as we know it, and Turlington Burns’ activism does just that. The mother, model, and maternal health advocate filled CR in on EMC’s pioneering work, women’s strength, and who inspires her.

What perceptions do you want to challenge with EMC?
“Every two minutes, a woman dies from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. We know how to prevent 90 percent of global maternal deaths and 60 percent of maternal deaths here in the U.S., but these deaths continue despite that knowledge. I want to challenge the assumption that mothers are valued in society. If they were, we wouldn’t stand by and allow so many to die needlessly. I am not aware of any perceptions about myself that need to be challenged, but I am committed to being the most authentic version of myself I can be. I’m confident in my experience and knowledge on the topic for which I use my voice to advocate for change.”

Through your work with EMC, what have you found is common among women across the globe?
“Women are resilient. We have to be.”

And what key differences impacting women?
“The biggest difference I have noted is access to quality, respectful healthcare. Not all women have the same options, and this significantly impacts their health and well-being. EMC’s mission is to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. We envision a world where every woman has the opportunity to not only survive pregnancy but also to thrive in motherhood.”

People can get involved with EMC through participating in charity runs for the organization. What importance does running hold to you personally and to EMC?
“Distance is one of the barriers women around the world face when in need of maternal health care. We started running to highlight this barrier, and it has really resonated with people. So far, I have personally completed eight marathons and more than 15 half marathons to bring attention to this issue. In many countries a woman must walk five miles or more to access basic care, and it’s not unlikely that she must travel as far as 26.2 miles (the distance of a marathon) or more to access emergency obstetric care.”

Carine selected you as one the 2019 ICONS because she is inspired by your dedication to global maternal health advocacy through EMC. Who is inspiring you in 2019?
“I am endlessly inspired by so many, it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. I love Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the way she is challenging our political system and demanding transparency, especially for minorities, proving what is possible and showing that complacency is not a way forward. I am in awe of Serena Williams, the way she has maintained her position at the top of her game so soon after pregnancy and childbirth, and for sharing her birth story with the world to bring attention to black maternal health in such a personal and powerful way. Amy Schumer has used her voice and platforms to highlight gun safety and to educate others about a pregnancy related condition called hyperemesis, and she continues to share her postpartum experiences with others in an honest way, which is so important for new mothers and parents.”

What are ways the fashion community can use its voice and platform to support maternal health locally and around the globe?
“One way the fashion community can support maternal health is by demanding that the workers who make fashion products have access to services and the highest attainable standard of maternity care possible. Fashion companies can and should offer parental leave to all their employees. They can and should be leaders in workplace standards for health, mental health, and healthcare as well. Corporate foundations can invest in maternal health initiatives in the countries where they manufacture and also help to influence policies where their consumers live.”

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