Greenville Hospital System Office of Philanthropy : Women's Health Stories

With help from Andrea Pájon and the PASOs program, Latina women in the Greenville community are more likely to have healthy pregnancies.

What do you get when you combine a pressing need for prenatal support among Latina women with a passion for serving the community well?

PASOs – the Spanish word for steps.

In June 2009, the Perinatal Awareness for Successful Outcomes program (PASOs) blossomed from the partnership of The Greenville Hospital System Obstetric Care Center (OB Center), South Carolina Public Health Institute (SC PHI) and The Duke Endowment.

The growing community initiative seeks to fight the high rate of birth defects and pregnancy complications among Latina women by providing education and training services free of charge.

While 2006 data from the South Carolina Department for Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) shows that the birth rate for Latino women is more than double that of other population subgroups, the University of South Carolina Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies found that 74% of Latinos reported having no health insurance.

PASOs participants learn about prenatal care in a group-based environment, community-based health educators train to better sustain healthy practices and partnerships form throughout the non-profit sector, public health care system and Latino communities.

The service operates under the leadership of OB Center Medical Director Amy Picklesimer, MD, MSPH, and the guidance of PASOs Program Coordinator Andrea Pájon.

As program coordinator, Pájon says her passion for reaching out to young mothers in need comes from her “love for the female Latina community.”

“This is not like a job for me; it’s more like a hobby,” she said. “I have spent my whole life involved in the community and helping women that really need it.”

By seeking out these women through area groups and through various media outlets, Pájon works to break down barriers of language, transportation and lack of information so that she can establish a sense of compassion and trust between Latinas and resource providers.

The result of these efforts? Healthy babies and healthier communities.

As of February 2010, more than 40 participants have been educated through PASOs and an additional dozen potential moms seek guidance from the office each week.

Additional funding is needed to sustain this valuable program for years to come. To make an immediate gift, click here and select Women’s Services to designate your funds. To learn about other ways you can support PASOs in our community, contact Director of Women’s Services Gina Turcotte in the Office of Philanthropy and Partnership at gturcotte@ghs.org or (864) 797-7736.