We have just celebrated our World Breastfeeding Week and Dr. Parrilla asked me
to send you a summary of what has been accomplished here.

-  Plaza Las Americas, Mayaguez Mall, Ponce Mall all had booths with
breastfeeding information from La Leche League and other local organizations.
In Plaza Las Americas, in keeping with the "Breastfeeding in the Community"
theme, there was a Community booth which was used (each day a different group)
by the various hospitals, the school of Public Health, Childbirth Educators and
a radio station (a live show with breastfeeding couples, members of La Leche
League, Childbirth educators, Dr. Parrilla and myself was just done today
there).
- The Breastfeeding Week committee included women from WIC, La Leche League,
Lactamar (a breastpump rental business) and  Mango Seed Social Marketing
- Television spots asking our parents to "Cogelo a Pecho" (take it to heart)
were on during the Olympics
- Newspaper, TV and Radio reports were done throughout the week.
 -  The Governor of Puerto Rico and the Graduate School of Public Health
presented proclamations on August 1st .  They were presented to Frances Gonzalez
- our own "founding mother" who began LLL 31 years ago in Puerto Rico.
- Nurses from one of the public hospitals distributed gold ribbons.
- At the hospital I work we walked throughout the hospital distributing T-shirts
to all the supervisors (ER, Admissions, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery,
Administration etc.) and buttons to the nurses - reminding everyone of our
baby-friendly goal - both towards our patients and our employees.

We feel very proud of the efforts being made by such a diverse group of people.


Jeanette Panchula, BSW, LLLL, IBCLC, RN
Puerto Rico
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