All posts by Fliss Lambert

14 September 2023

Chris kicks off his awareness raising football tour

This weekend, one of our partner peer support volunteers, Chris Wasley, will be kicking off his latest challenge for APP. Chris is already a seasoned fundraiser for us, having completed a 10K race and an epic coastal walk. But this time his focus is on raising awareness more than funds.

Chris is on a mission to attend a match at every football ground closest to each MBU in the UK.

Here he tells us a bit more about what he has planned and why he's doing it.

'In 2019, shortly after the birth of our first child, our son, my amazing wife Natalie experienced postpartum psychosis.

Our journey with postpartum psychosis has lasted years. And I can honestly say that it is the most frightening challenge we are ever likely to face.

Last year in 2022, we welcomed our second child, our daughter, and thankfully we haven’t experienced it again. But postpartum psychosis has always been there impacting our lives.

Postpartum psychosis is a topic very close to us as a family.

And I have made a promise to help raise as much awareness as possible for this mental illness.

I am very proud of my growing relationship with this wonderful charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP).

Currently there are 22 Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in the UK who help to provide specialist inpatient treatment to mothers (and their babies) experiencing a wide range of mental illness.

To those who know me, it is no secret that football is a love and addiction of mine.

So I have decided to embark on a personal challenge that will allow me to fulfil my promise to raise awareness of Postpartum Psychosis and to satisfy my hunger for football!

So over the next few years I will be attending football matches at grounds around and closest to the 22 MBUs in the UK.

To raise awareness at the grounds and amongst the football community I will be wearing a rather beautiful football shirt that I have had designed and made that clearly represents postpartum psychosis, APP and the MBUs.

My first game will be at Southampton FC on 15th September, this is the ground closest to Winchester MBU, with my dad Gary.

I know this challenge will take some years to complete with the number of grounds there are to visit and having a young family at home (and work I suppose!), but I am really excited for it and all the good I hope it will achieve.'

Chris is aiming to pop into each MBU on his journey too, to thank the dedicated staff for the amazing work they do. He knows that this is a long term adventure - Chris thinks towards the end, his son might even be old enough to come along with him to some of the games.

We're so excited to hear how you get on Chris - and we'll be updating this page after each match!

***

If you're a dad or co-parent that would like to meet and talk with others whose partners have experienced PP, join our virtual Dads and Co-parents peer support social / cafe group - 8-9pm, every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Zoom joining link: bit.ly/PARTNERMEET. Or, email Simon: simon@app-network.org

30 August 2023

Vote for APP to help us win £10,000!

We're delighted to announce that APP have been shortlisted for one of JoJo Maman Bébé's Helping Hands Community Grants this year.

12 organisations have been shortlisted, but only six will receive a grant worth up to £10,000 and we need your help to ensure APP is one of them!

All you need to do is click here, scroll down to select Action on Postpartum Psychosis before the 13th September 2023. It's free, it only takes seconds and there's no need to sign up to a mailing list.

Once you've voted, please tell all your friends, family and colleagues to vote for APP too - the more we get, the more likely we are to receive one of the grants. You could share the link via Whatsapp or email, or look out for and share our social media posts.

£10,000 would make a huge difference to our work, providing peer support for women and families affected by PP via our forum, on a one-to-one basis and through our regional ‘café’ groups.

“The peer support service is fabulous… [it] fosters knowledge and works to create greater awareness of PP and I am very glad to be involved with this. I still can’t talk to anyone else about my illness. To have the recognition and support of others who have suffered as I have when their babies were tiny is invaluable to my mental well-being.”

We'll find out after the 13th September whether we have been successful!

Thank you for your support.

18 May 2023

Becky's epic #milesformumsandbabies challenge!

At 4am last Saturday, 12th May, mum of three Becky Styles set out on an epic 43 mile walk/run to raise funds for, and awareness of APP.

Becky took on this challenge as part of our #milesformumsandbabies campaign, choosing 43 miles as it's the distance from her home to her closest mother and baby unit.

She also gave herself the target of raising £2400 - representing the number of mums who would have been diagnosed with PP in the two years since Becky herself was diagnosed after the birth of her twin daughters in May 2021.

She's actually gone on to totally smash her fundraising target, reaching an incredible £3100!

She told us:

I set off at 4am from my home in Wolverton and walked most of the route alongside the canal. It took 13 hrs 20 mins including stops.

My dad biked the whole way with me, my brother started the first 16 miles with me, then went in the car with my mum until 6 miles left which helped me at the end.

The last 17 miles I decided to try and run as much as I could. By 7 miles left I was in tears a few times like, feeling like - I can't do this! I couldn’t have done it without the support.

With support though, she completed the full 43 miles and the whole family was there to celebrate with her as she crossed the finish line!

Becky has also bravely shared her PP story and her family's journey on her GoFundMe page, helping to raise awareness of the illness. Do check it out and add your support to congratulate her on this amazing achievement.

A huge thank you from all of us here at APP to Becky for undertaking such a huge challenge and being such an inspirational fundraiser!

11 May 2023

IronMan Alex's Record Breaking Challenge for APP

APP are incredibly honoured that Team GB Triathlete Alex Heron is taking on an unbelievable, record breaking Ironman challenge for us this year.

He shares his inspirational story here:

'I began my triathlon career in 2012 at age 64 with MVH triathlon club in Derbyshire. Like an ageing idiot, 11 years later I have successfully applied to compete in the 75 -79 age group category for Ironman Wales this September, 2023. For all of my active life I have stubbornly said, “I will NEVER DO A FULL IRONMAN”. There really is nothing to recommend it except for the promise of getting my first manly tattoo on the back of rather puny and rapidly shrinking calves.

Tenby Ironman is one of the toughest full Ironman races in the world and has NEVER BEEN COMPLETED by a person in the 75-79 age group. It consists of a sea swim of 3.8 kilometres, a cycle race of 180 kilometres, ending with a full 42 kilometre marathon run. But the Welsh are ‘ard and their triathletes and runners (at Celtic Tri and 3 M’s Gorseinon Running club ) have embraced me; they have believed in this stringy ancient Irishman because I give them cake and anyway they smell revenge for the rugby.

I think I’m a competent triathlete; I think this because there is a shed at the bottom of my garden in Mumbles which I prefer to call a gym and it is festooned with impressive (if admittedly rusting) medals - even those hard earned British and European ones. But, there really is no guarantee that I will finish this race in the required time of under 17 hours. So : If you choose to donate/sponsor me you might prefer to do a “single sum” for finishing the event or an amount per kilometre.

Why attempt it then ? Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) is a registered UK charity. I have seen from the outset and at first hand what amazing work its brilliant team (under its CEO - my daughter Dr. Jess Heron) does for those Mums who, often out of the blue, are assaulted by PP..

PP is a severe, but treatable, form of mental illness that occurs after having a baby and affects 1400 new mums in the UK each year. APP offers information, training, and peer support, facilitates ground breaking research, raises awareness and campaigns for improved services. Its life changing peer support-network helps women and families affected by postpartum psychosis to feel understood, supported and less isolated. This charity leads the way in the field of PP and its growth in ensuring greater public understanding has been truly amazing.

Still so much to do - but though a full Ironman presents a huge challenge to me personally it is as nothing compared with the family impact of Postpartum Psychosis.'

Please support Alex on his amazing mission to become the first person in the 75-79 age group to complete the Tenby Triathlon by visiting his JustGiving page.

29 March 2023

A Brother and Sister's Story - Natalie and Rob

Thank you so much to siblings Natalie and Rob for sharing their story with us.

Rob is running his first ever marathon this weekend in Brighton to help raise funds for and awareness of APP.

We were so inspired after speaking to both Rob and Nat that we asked them to share a few words about their experiences and what they mean to each other.

Nat:
'I am Natalie, Rob’s sister. I’m so proud and thrilled for Rob to be running the 2023 Brighton Marathon. He has dug deep in his physical and mental limits during his dedicated training and it has been inspiring for me to see.

APP is a charity that means a lot to our family as I was diagnosed with Postpartum Psychosis six years ago. After a very happy and healthy pregnancy I gave birth to my son Finn in May of 2017. Seven days later I was admitted to the mother and baby unit at Royal Bethlam hospital and stayed there for three months.

It was a scary time for us all as we had never heard of Postpartum Psychosis and I was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar, but I’m pleased to say that with treatment and tremendous support I have made a full recovery and lead a very happy life.

APP are doing a great job of raising awareness of this illness that so many have never heard of. They provide amazing support to affected mums and families when they need it most and I want my story to provide hope to those reading this.'

Rob:
'I’m so excited to be running my first marathon this week and feel really proud to be representing APP.

It’s so important that we raise awareness for Postpartum Psychosis as it affects families without any warning. My sister was the last person I expected to be visiting in hospital but I’m so happy to say that she’s now living her best life and is the best version of herself that I’ve ever seen.

It goes to show how important the right support and treatment is and that everyone affected by Postpartum Psychosis should have hope for a healthy and happy future.

My sister’s strength and resilience inspires me every day and will be fuelling me on my run; can’t wait!'

You can add your support to Rob as he runs the Brighton Marathon on 2nd April by visiting his JustGiving page.

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