My Story

In April 2023, when our son Oscar was born, our family faced one of the hardest experiences of our lives. Megan became seriously ill before and after giving birth, suffering a severe mental health crisis known as postpartum psychosis.

During those difficult weeks, Megan and Oscar were cared for in a Mother & Baby Unit (MBU) in East London—a lifeline that helped Megan make a full recovery. I found hope reading recovery stories on Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP)’s website, and they have connected Megan with other mums who had been through the same.

I felt lucky to have access to an MBU but it really is a postcode lottery. In Northern Ireland, there are still no MBUs at all. Families here deserve better, and APP is campaigning to open the first.

We’ve now moved back to Northern Ireland, where the nearest MBU is 188 miles away—seven marathons across the Irish Sea.

Next April (3 years on) I’m running the London Marathon to raise funds for APP. Every donation will help APP support families and campaign for Northern Ireland’s first MBU.

You can find out more about our story and the work of APP here.

Thank you for helping us make this happen.