Kiwanis Club of Jackson joins fight to save lives

By vaccinating women of childbearing age, not only are mothers protected, but also their future babies.

The Kiwanis Club of Jackson is joining forces with Kiwanis members across the globe in an effort to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a painful disease that kills one baby every nine minutes, or 160 newborns each day.

The Eliminate Project: Kiwanis eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus is a global campaign that will save and protect the lives of millions of mothers and their future babies. The disease is typically contracted through unhygienic childbirth practices. The goal of the project is to eliminate this swift, painful and highly preventable disease by vaccinating women of childbearing age, which will not only protect the mothers, but also their future babies.

"This is the second worldwide initiative in which Kiwanis will partner with UNICEF and will change the world," said Susan Jespersen, Club President. "In 1994, Kiwanis launched a project to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) the leading cause of preventable mental disability. In partnership with UNICEF, Kiwanis raised and leveraged more than $100 million, which helped change lives in 103 nations. Eliminating iodine deficiency disorders has been heralded as one of the most successful health initiatives in the world and we are ready to undertake a new project of eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus. Our goal is to raise $110 million by 2015 for the project. Ultimately we will protect at least 61 million women and their future babies who are at risk of this deadly disease."

"For $1.80 we can protect a mother and her future babies from this deadly but preventable disease," said Stan Soderstrom, Executive Director of Kiwanis International. "We can only do this with the support from our local clubs, and with their participation, we will eliminate MNT."

Susan and Roger Jespersen introduced The Eliminate Project to members and guests of the Jackson Club with a video presentation at a luncheon meeting on February 9. Kicking off the fund raising effort for the club, the Jespersens honored two members with Walter Zeller Fellowship gifts. Brenda Proffer, Vice-President at 1st Midwest Bank, a charter member of the Jackson Club was honored for her seven years of service as the club's treasurer. Kevin Denton, Wells Fargo Executive, received the award for his four years of service as a club leader, including 3 years as President. Each received a medallion and lapel pin representing a gift of $1250 made in their honor to The Eliminate Project.

The funding supports UNICEF and its partners who have already eliminated MNT in 20 countries. With Kiwanis' global volunteer network, along with UNICEF's field staff and technical expertise, The Eliminate Project will serve those who live in developing countries where healthcare is limited--and wipe out this cruel, centuries-old disease.

The Eliminate Project will do more than protect women and babies from tetanus; it also will help create a path for other services, such as clean water, nutrition and other vaccines, to reach the world's most vulnerable people who are not served because they are poor, remote and, in some cases, invisible to the world.

For more information about The Eliminate Project, please visit www.TheEliminateProject.org. For more information about the Jackson Kiwanis Club contact Susan Jespersen, 573-683-0515.