When I set up my new website at the end of 2012 I also set up this blog but I have never got around to writing on it. It has been such a difficult thing to start – what to say? Today though I have had a two pieces of really, really good news so I want to share them!
In my role as Director of the Postpartum Depression Alliance of Illinois (www.PPDil.org) I am always trying to find sources of support as we are run entirely by donations. A few months ago I was in our local Wholefoods and was asked as usual by the cashier whether I want to donate the dime they were going to give me for bringing in my own bags. It made me wonder how they choose the recipients of all those dimes so I asked and was given a flyer about their One Dime At a Time program for local non-profit organizations. Worth giving it try I thought, so I completed all the paperwork and then forgot about it – so many organizations must be asking to be donated to surely? Well, today they sent me an email saying the Alliance has been chosen as the recipient for the quarter April 1 – June 30th. Amazing! All those dimes will be coming our way and help us raise awareness of perinatal mood disorders in Illinois and help women get the support they need.
While I was about to pen an email to all the Alliance’s wonderful volunteers about Wholefoods, another email came in. This time it was from Governor Quinn’s office saying that the Governor has again accepted our application to proclaim May as Perinatal Mood Disorders Awareness month in Illinois. So excited that pregnancy and postpartum issues are getting the recognition they deserve. So different from when I first came over to the US and would go to OB offices to talk to them about Postpartum Depression and I was often met with “Oh, we don’t get that over here dear!”. Thankfully, times have changed over the past 16 years 🙂 (Are you allowed to do smiley faces on a blog?).