The MADA MEDIA award is presented to an individual and/or newspaper, magazine, radio or television outlet that printed or aired a story in the previous year which created awareness of multiple-birth issues, individual chapters, or spotlighted MBC and/or chapter initiatives.

The 2013 Media Making a Difference Award goes to Kelly Roche, of the Ottawa Sun.

Many times, MBC and our local Chapters approach media for coverage of our events and supports and services. We want to make sure we’re getting the word out to families that need our support and may not know about us. That’s why it’s such a pleasant surprise when we are approached by the media – which is exactly what happened when Multiple Births Families Association of Ottawa-Gatineau were contacted by Kelly Roche. Specifically, Kelly wanted to highlight what life was like for mothers of multiples, to run on Mother’s Day 2013. The article, entitled Celebrating Mothers, ran in the Sunday edition of the Ottawa Sun and included front page coverage reaching hundreds of families in the Ottawa area. The article featured three separate families and their day-to-day challenges and successes. Each family received a beautiful photo taken by a professional photographer from the paper, and the MBFA Chapter received some wonderful advertising. Since then, Kelly has supported MBFA with publicity during sales and for National Multiple Births Awareness Day, and she also is trying to put together another story about fathers – possibly to run on Father’s Day next year.

It is with pleasure that we award the 2013 Media Making a Difference Award to Kelly Roche, and the Ottawa Sun. Kelly added the following comment upon learning of her award: “It is a great honour to be recognized by Multiple Births Canada; giving pause to realize the impact of a single story.”