Derby woman jumps 14,000ft from plane to raise awareness of postpartum psychosis after own diagnosis

Alongside her colleague and friend, Adam Woodiwiss, Emily is raising funds for the charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP), an organisation that supported her through her own experience of the illness.

Both Emily and Adam work at The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Derby, an award-winning specialised inpatient unit based on the Royal Derby Hospital site. They are keen to support the many other local families who experience postnatal mental illness who they see accessing the MBU services on a daily basis.

Emily said: “My pregnancy was a lonely and isolating experience as it was during lockdown, and I remember thinking that, once I’d had my baby daughter, things would be OK. However, after she was born, I became incredibly unwell with postpartum psychosis and extreme anxiety and had to be hospitalised at The Royal Derby Hospital when Grace was three weeks old after having episodes of hallucinating and paranoia. I was seen by the Perinatal Psychiatrist and then given help in the community after a week’s admission.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d make it through, but with the help of the staff at the hospital, my friends and family and the wonderful peer supporters at Action on Postpartum Psychosis I fully recovered. I’m so grateful for all the help I received and wanted to give something back which is why I applied to become a support worker at the MBU and why I’m now taking part in fundraising challenges on behalf of APP.”

Postpartum psychosis (PP) is a severe mental illness that affects around 1,400 women every year in the UK (or about 1-2 in every 1000 births). In about half of cases it occurs ‘out of the blue’ in women with no previous mental health diagnosis. Acute symptoms are similar to that of bipolar disorder and may include:

• extreme elation or euphoria,
• rapid mood changes, or depressed mood,
• the rapid onset of unusual beliefs,
• visual and auditory hallucinations, and
• extreme confusion.

Although episodes of PP are among the most severe illnesses seen in clinical practice, it also has one of the best prognoses.

Felicity Lambert, National Fundraising Co-ordinator, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: ‘Our fundraisers and storytellers are so vitally important to us. Not only are they raising awareness and challenging stigma relating to a misunderstood and often unknown illness, but they are also raising critical funds that enable us to continue our work in providing peer support services, facilitating research and training health professionals. We applaud Emily and Adam for taking on such a daring challenge for us!”

Emily added. “This will be my second skydive but that doesn’t make me any less nervous – I remember vividly the anxiety that hits you as you wait your turn to jump! I’m really excited to be taking part though, and to be doing it for such a great cause and with a good friend makes it even more special.”

Emily and Adam will be skydiving at Langor Airfield in Nottingham. You can sponsor them by visiting their Go Fund Me page.

To find out more about postpartum psychosis and APP visit www.app-network.org.