Thursday, June 12, 2025
Mothers from across Far Rockaway came to the Episcopal Health Services Women’s Health Fair May 14 at the EHS Clinical Learning Center, where they received free products, took part in educational workshops and joined in community discussions.
Dozens of booths, organized by the hospital, offered women informational packets on hospital services as well as free diapers and menstrual products distributed by St. John’s ICARE Foundation.
“This is really a monumental event for us all at EHS, as we have a very strong commitment to the women our community,” Donald T. Morrish, Episcopal Health Services’ CEO and an obstetrician, said. “As we know, women are really the anchor of everything in our families, and taking care of them is our responsibility from every aspect: the way that we make sure that they get access to good, high-quality health care here at EHS, all of their needs are met, from making sure the nutrition is appropriate, behavioral health services to support them, to have all of our doulas here walk through all their aspects of their pregnancy.”
The event featured programs and services for local mothers, including women’s health services, the doula program, health screenings, on-the-spot provider appointments, massages, aromatherapy and group support sessions.
“Not everyone can afford stuff like this,” Deashanell Lenon, a Far Rockaway resident and mother, said of the giveaways. “Events like these are a good thing.”
Nancy Leghart, executive director of the ICARE Foundation, said that the organization is committed to easing mothers’ burdens.
“I think the mother is probably the one that keeps the whole household under control,” Leghart said. “They don’t take care of their health — they can’t take care of their children, their spouses and other family members, so I think it’s really important that we take care of moms.”
Dr. Jacqueline Marecheau, chair of St. John’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who organized the event, said that its theme, “Let’s Talk About It,” was meant to promote a safe space for mothers to be heard and feel supported.
In her 20 years of experience, Marecheau said, many women haven’t felt comfortable asking important questions, and the event was designed to change that by creating a space where they feel empowered to speak up and seek support.
“Our women’s health care event is dedicated to breaking stigma, building trust and creating space for women to feel safe, informed and empowered,” she said. “I’ve seen that access to care is just the beginning — women need care that is compassionate, culturally sensitive and rooted in dignity. Too many women delay care or suffer in silence because of fear, stigma or mistrust. That must change, and it starts with conversations like the ones that we’re having today.”
The event was just one of the hospital’s many initiatives to serve the mothers of the community, amid work on the new labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit that will be completed late this summer. Construction began last May, and the unit is intended to make major strides in maternity care at the hospital, emphasizing enhanced patient care, creating a welcoming environment for expecting mothers and sustaining the highest safety standards.
The unit will feature six labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms as well as two advanced cesarean operating rooms, two recovery rooms and four triage rooms.
Lisa George, senior deputy chief of staff for State Sen. James Sanders Jr. confirmed that Sanders worked to ensure that $1 million of the state budget was allocated for the completion of the project.
“I was going to make the announcement about the million dollars that Senator Sanders has put towards EHS and his budget,” George said. “As a resident and someone who has lived here most of my teenage and adulthood life, it brings me joy to know where the hospital has come from to where it’s going. It feels good that I know if I wake up in the morning (and) I don’t feel well, I can call EHS and go get an allergy shot, you know — I don’t have to travel off the peninsula to get basic services that we need.”
