Dr. David Vanderpool leads LiveBeyond humanitarian development non-profit, serving women and children in need
DALLAS, May 17, 2022 – After responding to the immediate trauma needs following the earthquake in Haiti more than 12 years ago, Dr. David Vanderpool was inspired to sell his practice and launch a full-time work in Haiti. Recognizing an overarching need for better healthcare for pregnant women, he put some best practices in place, which have dramatically improved both maternal and infant mortality rates in the developing nation. Now, he shares these stories and ideas for other medical missions and healthcare workers on the new podcast “The First Thousand Days.”
Those involved with caring for pregnant women and newborns will already be familiar with the term, which encompasses the nine months of pregnancy plus the child’s first two years. This period is a pivotal window both to receive proper care and nutrition to ensure a safe delivery and that the baby grows healthy physically as well as mentally.
“Not many people realize how vital mom’s health during pregnancy is to the long-term development of the child, so we want to educate audiences about that along with the important nutritional needs both mom and baby have once the child is born,” Dr. Vanderpool said. “This is a vital period during which both mental and physical growth of the child – or lack thereof – can impact their future for years to come.
In addition to providing information about what moms and babies need during those first thousand days, Dr. Vanderpool will share from his experiences in Haiti, where he and his team were able to measure drastic improvements in maternal and infant mortality outcomes. From helping women understand the risks of giving birth on a dirt floor, to explaining which voodoo traditions were actually harmful to their babies, Dr. Vanderpool and his team learned a lot about working in the context of a given environment, which knowledge he is excited to pass along to others in this field.
“When moms and babies are in such desperate conditions as they are in Haiti, it’s easy to make a big difference,” Dr. Vanderpool said. “But we are going to be talking about other transferable principles that similarly apply in the developed world so that we can promote the health of as many moms and babies as possible.”
With new episodes releasing every Thursday, the LiveBeyond “First Thousand Days” podcast is available at https://livebeyondpodcast.home.blog/.
About LiveBeyond
LiveBeyond is a faith-based humanitarian organization bringing general medical care, mother and child health care, nutrition, clean water, education, and community development to people worldwide. LiveBeyond has worked in a number of countries, including Mozambique, Ghana, Honduras, and Haiti. In 2012, LiveBeyond established a base in the Thomazeau region of Haiti, where Dr. Vanderpool and his wife, Laurie, now live. The LiveBeyond compound consists of a guesthouse, a surgical hospital, a demonstration farm, a church, and a school. For more information, see www.livebeyond.org.
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