Story
I'm running the Leeds Half Marathon to raise money for the Yorkshire and Humber Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) which is part of the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The staff on the MBU do an amazing job, providing specialist support to mums who are suffering from significant mental health issues during pregnancy and the first year after giving birth. From psychological support and therapy to mother and baby bonding activities such as baby massage and baby yoga to support with day to day tasks and activities such as going to the shops and looking after your baby, the support they provide to mums and their families is incredible and for many including myself it has been literally a life saver.
I was a patient on the Yorkshire and Humber Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) after having severe postnatal depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with my first son. I then had two admissions with postpartum psychosis after having my second son. On all of these occasions, the staff were incredible, treating me with the utmost respect and going above and beyond the call of duty to support me on my journey to recovery. I also spent three years working on the MBU as a peer support worker, using my personal experiences to support others suffering from severe perinatal illness.
On a personal level, I would also value your moral support and prayers (if you're a pray-er). I have found running has been hugely beneficial to my mental and physical health. However, one of the complications I developed as a result of birth trauma was a condition called non epileptic attack disorder (NEAD). I still experience NEAD attacks where my head shakes, my limbs jerk, I fall to the floor or walking is difficult.
Running seems to help with this but if for some reason I'm unable to complete the Leeds Half Marathon due to my NEAD, I pledge to run a half marathon on another date independently when my NEAD is better. I trust that this will be acceptable to my supporters. For more information about NEAD see: https://www.fndaction.org.uk/non-epileptic-attack-disorder/
Anything you can contribute will make a massive difference to the support the MBU is able to offer to mums suffering from significant perinatal mental health issues. For more information about the Perinatal Mental Health Service see: https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/our-services/perinatal-mental-health-service/
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
If, however, you would prefer to donate another way, such as bank transfer, cash or cheque, please let me know and I can provide details.