Mothers & More Declares Brooke Shields “Apple of Our Eye”

ELMHURST, IL - Mothers & More, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers, is honoring actress Brooke Shields with an “Apple of Our Eye” award for sharing her personal experiences with postpartum depression, standing up for every mothers’ right to care for herself as she sees fit, and challenging society to rectify its judgmental attitude towards mothers and the choices they make about their lives.

The organization applauds Ms. Shields for exemplifying one of their core beliefs: “All mothers, all children and all families are unique. We respect the wisdom of each mother to decide how to care for her children, her family and herself.”

“It is only through courageous, public acts of honesty like Ms. Shields’ that society will grow in a positive direction – one that recognizes and respects mothers’ realities and individuality,” says Joanne Brundage, founder and Executive Director of Mothers & More. “The transitions mothers make into and through motherhood are challenging and can be difficult. Our society does a disservice to all mothers by promoting and idealizing an image of ‘the perfect mom.’”

The Apple of Our Eye Award was created to call attention to acts that honor the importance of caregiving work and respect mothers’ individuality and right to make their own decisions about how to care for themselves and their families.

“Post partum depression is one particularly challenging situation in which mothers often feel a lack of social support or societal understanding as they make that initial transition into motherhood. It is an extreme example, yet it illustrates the isolation and initial identity loss many mothers experience,” says Debra Levy, Director of Advocacy for Mothers & More. “By telling her real story openly and honestly, Ms. Shields has added a valuable perspective to the national conversation about the real obstacles mothers face in trying to balance all the aspects of their lives amid the complex transition from independent woman to interdependent mother.”

Mothers & More is a national organization comprised of 7,000 members organized in over 150 chapters throughout the United States. They address mothers’ needs as individuals and members of society, and promote the value of all the work mothers do. For nearly 20 years, the organization has been bringing mothers together to weather the challenges they face, provide a network of support for one another, and advocate on mothers’ behalves. For more information, go to www.mothersandmore.org.

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For more information contact:
Deidre Zapata
publicrelations@mothersandmore.org