Did you know that October 5th is the most common birth day?  More babies are born on October 5th than on any other day during the year.  Did you also know that this week is Mental Illness Awareness Week?

That is why it is so fitting that this Wednesday, October 5th, Postpartum Progress will hold a very special event: Strong Start Day. On this day when more families are begun than any other day, we will be raising funds to make sure that more families are able to start off strong and emotionally healthy.

Currently, only 15% of women with postpartum depression ever get the help they need.  That’s not enough.  We want more women to be aware of the variety of risk factors and symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, to know where to go for help and to be able to find the support they need.  When they have this information and support, they’ll be able to recover fully and their families will get off to a much-deserved stronger start.

We will be reaching out to as many people as possible — women who are suffering, women who have survived, the friends and family of women who have survived, the wonderful nurses and doulas and therapists and doctors who help the women who suffer — to ask them to support our work.

Tomorrow, I will share with you the letter I’ll be sending to everyone I know asking for their support of our nonprofit’s work. (Psst. You’ll probably get one from me.) I’m hoping you will send a similar letter to your loved ones asking for their support.  They know what you went through, or are going through now.  They know how important this is.  Ask them to join us in the fight.

We are hoping to raise tens of thousands of dollars this week.  That feels like a lot, I know.  But we need a lot in order to make bigger and better change.  I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far at Postpartum Progress, but we can’t do more without funding. So get ready for Strong Start Day.

Help us create stronger families, one mom at a time.

Oh, and in case you’ll be trapped under a large piece of furniture on Wednesday, you and yours are welcome to start donating.  😉