The MADA INTERNATIONAL award is presented to an individual who has displayed outstanding dedication or has been responsible for exceptional accomplishments of international significance in multiple births issues and that has a Canadian element or impact on the Canadian multiple-birth community.

This year’s recipient has always been a strong supporter, educator, and really has dedicated her professional life to the multiple birth community on an international scale. However, this past year, she made a very specific and sizeable difference to families in Canada.

The 2013 Making a Difference International Award winner is Dr. Barbara Luke.

Her area of expertise is the nutrition necessary for prenatal care while expecting multiples, where she has built an international reputation with her book When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets and Quadruplets (3rd edition, 2011).

In 2011, Dr. Luke gave an excellent key-note speech at the Multiple Births Canada national Conference in Windsor, speaking about prenatal health and nutrition and how our volunteers could best pass that information along to those in their community expecting twins or more. She graciously donated her time for this presentation, charging no speaking fee, and many felt her talk was a highlight of the Conference that year.

This past year, Dr. Luke went above and beyond even that generosity when she made a personal donation to MBC. Her company, Barbara Luke Maternity, recently developed a line of maternity clothing designed specifically for women expecting multiples. These beautiful clothes are designed for professional or formal occasions and meet a unique need for mothers who gain more than the average weight because they are carrying more than one child. In an effort to help Multiple Births Canada, and our affiliate chapters across the country, Dr. Luke donated four maternity tops and dresses in a variety of sizes and colours for every single MBC chapter. These clothes could be used as loaners for members or could be used as raffle items or to sell as fundraisers to support Chapter activities. It’s impossible to measure the individual affect this had on Chapters and their members, but the approximate dollar value of this donation was over $15,000.

Because of her wealth of knowledge and her support of all multiple birth families in Canada and across the world, and specifically because of her generosity and support of Multiple Births Canada, MBC and the MADA committee are pleased to present Dr. Barbara Luke with the 2013 International Making a Difference Award.

Dr. Luke had the following to say upon learning of her award: “What a lovely surprise! It has been an honor and a privilege to help so many families with twins, triplets, and quads. Canada has always had a special place in my heart, so helping Canadian families is even more special. Thank you so much for this honor.”