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Jun
Clinicians to run Knaresborough bed race to raise awareness of postpartum mental health
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A team of clinicians will take part in this Saturday’s Great Knaresborough Bed Race to raise money for a charity that helps mothers with their mental health.
Maternal Mental Health Alliance ensures families impacted by perinatal mental health problems have access to care and support.
Mums' Minds Matter will be one of 90 teams taking on the 2.4-mile course in this year’s 60th anniversary race.
Anna Kilsby, a consultant psychiatrist who works in the Harrogate and Knaresborough perinatal mental health services, said:
One in four women have a mental health problem associated with having a baby. And one in 10 women and birthing people are considered at a level to need specialist perinatal mental health support.
This means that struggling with your mental health after a baby is as common as everyday things, such as having curly hair.
Despite this, people fear stigma and judgement if they ask for help. We know that the people who come to see us are often terrified.
Too many people wait longer than they should – which impacts the woman or birthing person, baby and family.
Ms Kilsby is employed by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health and learning disability services for County Durham, Tees Valley, York and most of North Yorkshire.
Jazz Richardson-Forster, a peer lead for North Yorkshire York and Selby and Community Services, said:
I bring my own experience of perinatal mental illness to my role as a peer worker within the service. A bit like my experience of becoming a mum, training for this started off a bit rocky – really lacking in confidence, not feeling much hope, questioning how I got here.
However, as the weeks have gone on, I really feel like I can do it. Part of that is down to the sense of community and understanding I feel within the team – something that was missing during my most difficult times. This feeling of understanding and safety is also missing for lots of women and birthing people.
There are women and birthing people going through harder things right now, than us pushing a bed around Knaresborough. We hope to raise enough awareness to reach some of those people.
Ms Richardson-Forster, Ms Kilsby and the rest of their team will join the other 630 runners and passengers at Knaresborough Castle at 9am.
They will then join the parade at 1pm before the race gets underway at 3pm.
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