This man’s wife died tragically after giving birth, even though she was perfectly healthy — now he’s asking Congress to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone else.
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Charles Johnson: He told me that my wife will be back in 15 minutes. And that was the last time I saw her alive.

This man’s story about his wife’s abrupt death shook the internet and now he’s taking on Congress for action

Charles Johnson: I thought if this was life threatening, they’d be moving a lot more — with a lot more urgency and even as I was walking with Kyra on the way back to the operating room and she’s holding my hand, she’s saying to me, baby I’m scared. I’m scared. The doctor has – his level of concern or sense of urgency never elevated. And in fact he said to me, this happens all the time. […] and he told me that she would be back in 15 minutes. He told me that my wife will be back in 15 minutes. And that was the last time I saw her alive. So it never crossed my mind that she would actually that I would ever leave the hospital without my wife. That was something that never crossed my mind.

Kira Dixon Johnson died hours after childbirth, despite her sterling health. Black women are 243% more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes than white women

Charles Johnson: Although there’s nothing we can do to bring her back, the highest honor and the highest tribute that we can take here is to do everything we can to send other mothers home with their babies. That’s why I’m here on Capitol Hill today.

Johnson has met with dozens of congressional offices over the past year to advocate for legislation addressing maternal mortality

Charles Johnson: This piece of legislation is so critically important. It is H.R. 1318 and S. 1112, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act. And what this bill will do very importantly is it will fund what’s called maternal mortality review committees in all 50 states.

Charles Johnson: It has to get done. It has to get done, right. Procedures aren’t the priority right now. That’s one of the things — I’m frustrated, I’m tired of hearing that women aren’t a priority and procedures are the priority or protocols are the priority. Like, let’s get it done. […] It’s too important. It’s too important.

Charles Johnson candid walking into elevator: I was frustrated because as I was sitting there in that meeting I was thinking about the families that I talk to, right. The families that I sit on the phone with, and the fathers that I sit on the phone with till 2 am and they’re crying because they can’t explain to their children why mommy isn’t coming home.

Charles Johnson: We’ve got to get this bill passed. We’ve got to get it passed now because women are continuing to die. And when I talk to families who’ve lost their mothers and their daughters as a result of maternal mortality, they don’t want to hear about regular order. They don’t want to hear about procedures and protocols and they don’t want to hear that. Oh you know what maybe we’ll pass this next session. It’s not good enough. And the women that are sacrificing their lives to give the gift of life the least that we can do — the very least that Congress can do is honor them by making a bold, courageous step and making it clear and sending a clear message that mothers and babies in this country are important.

Charles Johnson: This is my 8th visit to Washington, D.C. in support of this bill. And this is — we all know that this is a very very very challenging time in politics in our country. But the wonderful thing about this issue of maternal mortality is it’s uniquely bipartisan, right. There’s nothing more critical to the sustainability and the future of our country than the health and the well-being of mothers and babies.

#MaternalCare #MaternalMortality #Childbirth #Loss #Politics

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