I’m setting myself a challenge to complete 62 miles (100 km) on my static bike before January is up! So why 62? On 23 March 2016 our beautiful twin girls were born and 62 days later, 24^th May, I was admitted to Leeds Mother and Baby Unit with postpartum psychosis (pp.) I have never felt so terrified or vulnerable as I was in those months.The wonderful care I received in Leeds MBU and the community perinatal team helped piece me back together.

I’m doing this for 2 main reasons:
Firstly, to raise awareness of the importance of early identification of this horrible yet treatable mental illness. And secondly, to highlight the importance of MBUs – which kept me together with my babies and gave me a safe place to get better in those very dark days.

In 2019 I became a volunteer peer supporter at APP Psychosis. The charity work tirelessly to raise awareness of pp and the importance of MBUs as well as providing a fantastic peer support service for mums, partners and families affected by pp. Thanks for reading my story, please support me in my challenge, and help this amazing charity continue to support poorly mums and their families.

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) is a UK charity. We’re here to make sure mums, parents and families are supported through postpartum psychosis – a severe, but treatable, form of mental illness that occurs after having a baby and affects 1400 new mums in the UK each year.We offer information and peer support, facilitate ground breaking research, raise awareness and campaign for improved services. Our life changing peer support network helps women and families affected by postpartum psychosis feel understood, supported and less isolated.