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MotherWoman in the News,
Press Releases, and Upcoming Events 15 August, 2007, Amherst, MA – Florence Savings Bank is a hero, according to the staff of MotherWoman, Inc. and the 20 women who attended MotherWoman’s Postpartum Stress Support Group during the months of July and August, 2007. Why? Florence Savings Bank donated the funds desperately needed to keep MotherWoman’s Postpartum Stress Support Group afloat for the summer. “$500 may not seem like much money, but when you don’t have it and the lack of it is stopping a vital program, it’s a fortune,” Executive Director Melanie DeSilva stated. “The public needs to know that our group is the ONLY support group designed for mothers experiencing postpartum stress, depression and anxiety in all of Central Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut. As far as I’m concerned, Florence Savings Bank is a hero.” At the end of June, MotherWoman found itself without the funds necessary to continue its Postpartum Stress group through the summer. “Postpartum stress, depression and anxiety doesn’t take a vacation,” stated Annette Cycon, co-facilitator of the group. “We knew we had to find a way to keep running the group for the sake of the thousands of mothers in the tri-county area who experience postpartum stress, depression and anxiety each year.” DeSilva and Cycon met with Doulgas Burr, Senior Vice President and Marketing Director at Florence Savings Bank who understood the issue immediately. “He got it. He saw the need and he responded,” stated DeSilva. With Burr’s commitment of matching funds, MotherWoman was energized to seek support from the community and received an outpouring of financial support from the Green River Doula Network and several individuals, including medical providers, and a prominent local psychiatrist. MotherWoman’s Postpartum Stress Support Group will continue from September-December with generous funding from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. MotherWoman is aggressively seeking funding to continue this vital group beyond December, 2007. 80% of mothers will experience some symptoms of postpartum depression. From 10-25% of mothers will experience diagnosable postpartum depression. With 8000 birth per year in the Pioneer Valley, it can be estimated that at least 6000 mother locally are experiencing significant postpartum stress at any given time, and up to 2000 mothers are experiencing postpartum depression. |
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