A visionary who has developed and successfully instituted the birthing center as a means to improve the lives of childbearing families, Ruth Watson Lubic shows a philosophy that is one way of meeting the challenges found in the health care system. She stresses the need to look to families and their communities and for making the focus the concept of their empowerment to enrich their lives. Ruth's undaunted pursuit of this vision has led her to the nation's capital to involve government in this cause.