Tending to Women's Healthcare Needs: Fair Haven Midwifery Group

By OBOS — May 1, 2009

From 2009 – 2011, Our Bodies Ourselves honored the work of women’s health advocates worldwide by asking readers to nominate their favorite women’s health hero. View all nominees by year: 2009, 2010, 2011

Entrants: Christine Halbig & Sita Bushan

Nominees: Kate Mitcheom, Melissa Lonergan, Ellen Wormser, Sherry Rinell, Laura Sundstrom & Priscilla Jencks from Fair Haven Midwifery Group

Fair Haven Community Health Center’s Midwifery group has been tending to the women’s healthcare needs of the community since 1971. This is a short profile of these women’s health heroes.

59 responses to “Tending to Women’s Healthcare Needs: Fair Haven Midwifery Group”

  1. This video brought me to tears! I was unable to vote, but they have my full five stars.

    Midwives rock!

  2. It was apparent in this video the decades of impact and multitude of lives touched by these remarkable women. Five stars and my vote!

  3. These woman are awesome and I have been the HR Director at Fair Haven for 12 years and I’ve never seen such deep caring in a clinical team. The continuity of care they provide our patients is amazing.

  5. hi this was the most amazing video 50 years ago I came into this world by help of Midwife and 10 of my brothers and sisters . when Icame to work at fhchc with the mw I was very happy that we still have this heroes around helping others. HEY ME QUITOELSOMBREROLADIES.

  6. Amazing, wondelful, incredible the experience what I had when I delivered my daughters; Shanniel with Melissa Lonergan CNM and Alexaly with Priscilla Jencks CNM. You are the best. Thank You. Now Im part of the Fair Haven Comm Health Center Staff Member since 2002 great experience to work with those Midwife team.

  7. These women have been and will continue to be true Women’s Health Heroes!! You each give care from your hearts to each other, to your colleagues and to the women and families in your community. You all have always been my personal heroes and now the world can share in that. Salud and keep up the good work!!

  8. Ellen Wormser has been my women’s health hero for more than 12 years! She has gently nurtured and confidently reassured so many women through joyous times and difficult times. She never ceases to amaze me!

  9. BABIES CAN COME INTO THIS WORLD ONE OF TWO WAYS. THEY ARE EITHER DELIVERED IN A BRIGHTLY LIT O.R. WITH A LABOR AND DELIVERY TEAM OF NURSES, INTERNS AND (HOPEFULLY )THE DOCTOR YOU SAW FOR SOME OF YOUR PRENATAL CARE or THEY ARE BORN ; GENTLY GUIDED INTO THE WORLD BY A NURSE MIDWIFE SURROUNDED BY THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE THEM. I THINK MOST OF OUR BABIES WOULD PREFER TO BE BORN …

    especially by people as wonderfully awesome as Ellen and the women of the Fairhaven Midwifery Group

  11. All I can say is keep on glowing and being your most compassionate selves ladies. The rippling out effect never ends.

  13. Fantastic! The Fair Haven midwives get my vote for “Women’s Health Heros”! Great production, all!

  15. made me want to be pregnant and getting ready to give birth again – lucky women in Fair Haven!!

  17. A great team to work with and be cared by for 22 years. Ellen delivered my 4th son 12 years ago with lots of tenderness and pampering. Then Melissa and Priscilla delivered my grandson 5 years ago, the experience was the same after the excellent pre-natal care received; who would expect less. The hospitals staff comment to this was “Gee you guys must be special to have not one but two Fair Haven Midwives here” to which Melissa and Priscilla, replied this is family and that was the exact ambiance in the delivery room. Go Team!

  18. These are an amazing group of women who truly LOVE what they do. They are loving, caring and at the same time firm and not affraid to let you have it, in a very gentle way of course, if needed. I should know, two of my four children had the privilege, over 19 years ago, to be welcomed into this world by the one, the only Ellen Wormser. Ellen was great and by the way let me have a few times and boy did I deserve it. Thank you to the FHCHC Women’s Health Heros for all you did to make my prenatal and deliveries the most wonderful experiences of my life and a very warm and special thank you my Women’s Health Hero, Ellen Wormser. You will always hold a special place in my heart!!! You all have touched many lives, more than you will ever know! The world will not be the same place without midwives! Keep up the GREAT work.

  19. I’m moved to tears that the dream we began in 1971 is flourishing and making such an important contribution to the continuing health and well being of women’s health. The founding mothers of Fair Haven Clinic are smiling wherever they are!

    These messages are right on: these providers are women’s health heroes who have impacted the lives of women and their families for 38 years.

    My good fortune is that I was there to hear their borning cry.

    Charlotte Houde QUimby, CNM, MSN, FACNM

  20. I cherish fond memories of my days at Fair Haven, and joyfully salute the wonderful community practice model there and the courageous creativity and deep commitment to holistic, humanistic health care of those who keep it alive!

    With great affection and admiration,

    Rima Jolivet, CNM, MSN, MPH

  21. What a blessing to offer this holistic level of care to women. I have been unable to vote on the website but would give it 5 stars.

  22. What a wonderful thing you are all doing to help women and children. Hats off to you all and 5 stars!!

  24. I’m so proud to know these midwives!! They are a treasure to Fair Haven women and their families. I would give them 10 stars if I could.

  26. To Ellen and her colleagues —

    How wonderful you are! What a difference you make in your patients’ lives. You are indeed heroes!

  27. My three children were delivered by midwives – they hold a special place in my heart as do all nurses. Love ya Melissa!

  29. I have known these fine women for over 25 years. Their dedication and originality in the care they provide is inspirational. I only wish that all women in New Haven could have the opportunity to have this close comprehensive and personal care. They all deserve that kind of care.

  30. Working with these great women over the years has been a wonderful experience. It is amazing how committed they are to the patients that they serve. You guys are the best!!

  31. Know this is a group anyone should be proud to work with. Keep up the good work!!!

  32. Five stars all the way. What a pleasure and honor to work with these women. Can I be a midwife too? Keep up the wonderful work you do, you touch so many lives and hearts.

  33. These stars deserve the 5 stars!! My computer is not allowing me to vote but please count my vote for these heroines. Reading the comments from patients, staff and friends overwhelms me with pride–thank you to the heroines and thank you to all.

  34. With my previous comment I forgot to note my VOTE, go figure. These ladies get my five star VOTE any day of the week!

  38. I want to vote for the fhchc midwives hero because they do a wonderful job for the mothers of the fair haven community.

  39. I admire the fhchc cnm togetherness therefore I want to vote for the fhchc midwives.

  40. I have the honor to work with these dedicated midwives and they continue to serve as role models for patient advocacy and commitment to their profession. I’m so proud to know you and see on a daily basis the contribution you make to our clinic and community. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!

  42. wonderful job with the video. The midwives at Fair Haven Community Health Center are in a class all their own. I was actually delivered by a midwive from the clinic and now it is my pleasure to work with her at the clinic. I could not vote the regular way so please count this as my vote for them. Thanks

  44. FELICIDADES!!

    The midwives at FHCHC provide great care for our patients. I personally witness the passion and love they share with each and every patient. Sometimes I wish I was pregnant. Just kidding:)

    I feel special coming to work to hear the words “I love you sweetie” and receiving a hug from Priscilla.

    Guess what I love you TOO!!

    Vivian

  45. These midwives exemplify what maternity care should be. They get my vote

  47. What a great midwifery team. Beautiful work, and beautiful video! 5 stars to all!

  48. I want to vote for the cnm at fair haven because they are very assesible and open in terms of giving of themselves to others, they are always busy yet they dont complain. The video that they did was a true depiction of who they really are and how hard they really work. Right on !!!

  49. i want to give my vote to the FHCHC CNM’s i was unable to vote on my computer. I work alot with the midwives and priscilla jencks was present when i had my daughter 4 yrs ago! I enjoy learning new things from them as well as working with them! Keep up the great job ladies!!!!!

  51. I vote 5 Stars. The Fair Haven Community Health Center midwives are the best!

  52. The Fair Haven Midwives get my 5 star vote very professional and trustworthy. (They consider me an honorary midwive.)

  53. What dedicated, caring, compassionate women. It would be wonderful if every community had a clinic like this. You are all winners in the community already!

  54. I absolutely LOVED your video! You all are so beautiful, articulate, intelligent, compassionate, and passionate about what you do!

    I am blessed to know and work with all of you!

  56. the midwives that i have been blessed to work with for almost five yaers now have proven that they care about the patient as a person and not just a paycheck. when things get rough or they are short they always pull together and help each other out. I personally haven’t have the pleasure of them delivering any of my kids but when a baby was born in the clinic by ellen wormser i saw the way they really rallied and did what needed to be done. they are awsome every last one of our midwives good luck.

  57. its an honor to work with these wonderful woman for almost 17 years. keep up the go work and yes 5 stars for them

  58. I am almost in tears watching this. These women are hero’s in every sense of the word. I had the honor and privilege of having the midwives at fchc walk me though my pregnancy, delivery of my daughter, and my post-natal care. Each one of them is so special. I can not imagine going through prgnancy/birth with out these amazing ladies!!

  59. The Fair Haven midwives always have and always will be my women’s health heroes and my inspiration. The only thing better than being delivered by a midwife is being raised by one – love you, Mom!

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