Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) is a UK charity. They’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.

APP offer information and peer support, facilitate ground breaking research, raise awareness and campaign for improved services.

Their life changing peer support network helps women and families affected by postpartum psychosis feel understood, supported and less isolated.

In July, I plan to run the 10k race in Hillsborough, Belfast to raise money for APP who I volunteer for, to raise awareness of the illness that can affect any mother, to celebrate the mothers that lived through it, and to remember the mothers that sadly didn't make it, such as Orlaith Quinn.

Orlaith, 33, died in the early hours of 11th October 2018 at Belfast's Royal Jubilee Maternity hospital. Less than 48 hours earlier, she had given birth to her third child. She was suffering from postpartum psychosis.

An inquest found Orlaith’s death was ‘both foreseeable and preventable’ and in her concluding remarks, Coroner Maria Dougan called for a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) to be established in Northern Ireland as a matter of urgency.

In the absence of a functioning Executive, the possibility of this being developed is slim, however APP continue to do all they can to push for reform.

In that context, I want to raise money for this very worthwhile charity to assist the support they give mothers, mothers-to-be and mothers yet to come. Please donate if you can. Thank you.