Strong Start Day 2011- PostPartum Progress

For those of you who follow me, you know I've written often of my fight to overcome Post Partum Depression seventeen years ago.

I never would have made it out of that nightmare without the help of a Post Partum Depression group that worked out of the hospital where I gave birth. It was a professional there who literally held my hand and pulled me out of the dark sea that my life had become.

While others told me I had to get out more, sleep more (uh...no kidding...) and even that all I needed was "a new dress." I'm sure they meant well, but they did not understand. People who know, people who understand, realize that ways to be connected to those that get it, are what's needed. 

Because of professionals, and their knowledge of what I needed, I survived, and am here today to spread the word of StrongStart 11.

I want to ask you for your help and support for a newly founded non-profit organization. This post is for Strong Start Day, for Katherine at Post Partum Progress, who reports that only 15% of all women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders ever receive professional treatment.

Her mission: Postpartum Progress Inc. (PPI) to improve the health and well being of women and children by increasing access to and quality of support for women with postpartum depression and other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth.

There are many women at this moment, right now, who have no one.

Awareness is key, being knowledgeable of resources is key, extending a hand is key. Knowing where to go, is key.

I love the awareness that social media is able to create.

This PPD slayer of a woman, Katherine Stone, of PostPartum Progress, tirelessly works and cares about PPD and helping people pull through, by providing information, resources, building a hub of connections.  She has built a community of love and support for women, @postpartumprogr on twitter, hashtag #PPD #PPD chat  #PPD army, for anyone to find someone at any time. We no longer have nowhere to turn.

Please take note of this organization, of Katherine and her website, keep this information in your pocket to hand to someone who is grasping for that hand.

Donate to Postpartum Progress. Visit Katherine's site--see what she does there, daily, for so many.

There is so much more that needs to be done, but funding is necessary to do this lifesaving work. And Katherine can't do it alone.

Whether you’re currently fighting your own battle, have survived, or are fighting along side someone else for their life, please think of donating, so that Katherine can reach these PPD goals:

 What $30k in donations to Postpartum Progress can do:

• Develop a compelling national awareness campaign for postpartum depression
• Create and distribute new and improved patient education materials for distribution by hospitals
• Translate our English information and support into Spanish and other languages

I'll be donating, because the memory of my PPD experience is still so frighteningly fresh, even though it was 17 years ago.

I will never forget how it felt. 

Every little bit helps.

THANK YOU, Katherine! 
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