Lest one forgets, the incredibly successful run of Women Helping Women at the Garfield started as a way to support Dr. Maria Boria Berna and her clinic to provide health services to migrant women. This remarkable human being, after a career in international healthcare, including starting the first women’s hospital in India, had found her way to Rock Hall in the later years of her life and wanted to help the least fortunate around her.
Being a close friend of Maria and her husband, Chestertown’s Carla Massoni heard the call when her friend said she needed more supplies fifteen years ago. Within a day or so, Carla calls her friend and professional singer, Sue Matthews, and they start calling other friends, and all of a sudden, Women Helping Woman was born.
Now with Dr. Berna comfortably retired, Carla and Sue decided that all good things must come to an end. And while the spirit of Women Helping Women will live on, the Spy thought it would be helpful to document this remarkable chapter on the Mid-Shore. We spoke to Carla and Sue by Zoom to record their memories and their profound gratitude for all the “angels” that made this all possible.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length. Additional video provided by Justinian Dispenza at Andover Media
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