Fil-Am Robin Lim Named 2011 CNN ‘Hero of the Year’ at CNN’s Fifth Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute

In a star-studded ceremony Sunday night at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year.

Christy Turlington Burns introduced Lim as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes while host Anderson Cooper announced her name as the CNN Hero of the Year at the end of the evening. Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes received $50,000, and Lim’s nonprofit, Bumi Sehat Foundation, will receive an additional $250,000 grant.

In Indonesia, women are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries. After Lim’s younger sister died from pregnancy complications, she became professional midwife and dedicated her life to offering free prenatal and birthing services to low-income Indonesian women.

Since 2003, Lim’s “Yayasan Bumi Sehat” (Healthy Mother Earth) clinic has provided medical assistance to thousands of women in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia.

The star-studded ceremony included celebrity participants Jerry Seinfeld, Sofia Vergara, Mary-Louise Parker, Ice Cube, Laura Dern, J.R. Martinez, will.i.am, Christy Turlington Burns, George Lopez and Kurt Warner.

Miley Cyrus, Chris Colfer and Emma Roberts presented to youths who were recognized and honored by CNN as “Young Wonders.” Miley Cyrus also performed her triple platinum hit “The Climb”, while Kid Rock performed a powerful version of “Care” from his platinum selling album, “Born Free.”

Now in its fifth year, CNN Heroes is a multi-platform campaign that shines a spotlight on individuals who go to extraordinary lengths to serve others. This year, the campaign received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries.

(CNN Press Release)

CNN Hero of the Year is Fil-Am Robin Lim

CNN named it’s 2011 Hero of the Year and she’s none other than Fil-Am midwife Robin Lim!

Filipino-American midwife Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year during the awarding ceremony held Sunday evening at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, U.S.A.

54-year-old Lim, born to a Filipino mother and an American father and was raised in the Philippines, bested 9 other finalists from around the world.

According to CNN, Lim, whose mother is a Filipino-Chinese, put up “birthing sanctuaries” for Indonesians in need of maternal and general health care.

In her “Meet the Hero” interview, Lim said it is common in Indonesia to hold babies in the hospital until the bills have been paid.

Lim said mothers should only worry about delivering their babies safely and not about how they should pay the hospital where they gave birth.

Lim brought home $250,000 for being named the 5th CNN Hero of the Year in addition to the $50,000 that she received after making it to the Top 10.

In 2009, Filipino Efren Peñaflorida was named CNN Hero of the Year for his Kariton classroom project, which brought the classrooms to children in the streets.

Fil-Am Robin Lim Among Top 10 CNN Heroes this Year

Filipino-American midwife Robin Lim has made it this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes for providing free maternal healthcare to thousands of poor women in Indonesia.

According to CNN, Lim, whose mother is a Filipino-Chinese, put up “birthing sanctuaries” for Indonesians in need of maternal and general health care.

In her “Meet the Hero” interview, Lim said it is common in Indonesia to hold babies in the hospital until the bills have been paid.

Lim, 54, said mothers should only worry about delivering their babies safely and not about how they should pay the hospital where they gave birth.

Lim, along with nine other “ordinary” citizens who have made differences in their communities, will all receive a $50,000 grant and will be honored at an “All-Star Tribute” on December 11.

They are vying for online votes to become the fifth CNN Hero of the Year, which comes with an additional $250,000. Voting is open until Dec. 7. To vote for Robin Lim, click here.

In 2009, Filipino Efren Peñaflorida was named CNN Hero of the Year for his Kariton classroom project, which brought the classrooms to children in the streets.

Source: GMA News