Saint Mary’s Community Health and Well Being (CHWB), in collaboration with Bridge to Success and the Women and Infants Center (WIC), hosted a screening of the documentary, “When the Water Breaks.” The film chronicles the experiences of two Black birthers residing in Waterbury, shedding light on their deliberate choice to seek healthcare beyond the local community. This impactful film marks a significant milestone in our collective journey toward equitable maternal care.
The documentary was produced by #Day43, an organization that strives to create solutions to combat Black maternal mortality and to support an equitable environment for all women, birthing people, and their babies. By transforming systems, #Day43 works to raise awareness of Black women’s maternal health in the city of Waterbury through training, research, technical assistance, policy, advocacy and community-centered collaboration.
The screening was held on July 8 in Saint Mary’s auditorium. In attendance were colleagues from the Women & Infants Department and Naugatuck Valley Women’s Health Specialists. Members of Saint Mary’s executive leadership team and board member Judge Maurice Mosely were also in the audience, as were members of the Patient Experience team. Special guests included Marcia Tejada, M.D., an area OB/GYN provider and Ashanti Rivera, owner of A Woman’s Choice Perinatal Services. Aisling McGuckin, Director of Waterbury Department of Health, hosted the panel discussion after the screening.
"It was inspiring to witness the commitment of numerous individuals at Saint Mary’s who are actively working to address equity-related issues and drive positive change," said Cheryl Hilton, Manager, Community Health & Well Being, Saint Mary’s Hospital.
Partners in this work include Saint Mary's Hospital, American Heart Association, Connecticut Community Foundation, The Waterbury (CT) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and A Women's Choice Perinatal Services.
Further screenings of the film will be held later this year at Saint Mary’s and Saint Francis Hospitals.