A Mother’s Story of Hope
Dear Friend,
The Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance Program found that substance use disorder (SUD) is the leading cause of deaths during and after pregnancy that are not caused by pregnancy itself, accounting for 38% of these deaths. The heartbreaking truth is that these deaths are classified as preventable. For Brittney, she made the courageous choice to seek help and escape this fate.
A Mother’s Story of Hope
After running from the law for 7 months, I got sentenced to jail for a year. While in jail, I found out I was 32 weeks pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, a switch flipped in me. I no longer wanted to use substances but wanted to find recovery for my baby girl so I could be the mother she deserved and so she could grow up in a healthy home. To keep myself and the baby safe, I got sentenced to substance use treatment.
I was about 8 months pregnant when I got to Our Hope. It was my first time in treatment, and I felt very out of place, like I didn’t belong here. After attending classes, I started to understand how helpful it was and gained tools for my toolbox to help cope with trauma and maintain sobriety. I know now that if I have a craving, I can pick up the phone and call a support, go to a meeting, or journal to help process through those feelings.
A month into treatment, I had my baby girl, and I brought her back to Our Hope with me. I took time to focus on physical healing and my baby girl. It was hard, but she was a good baby which helped me to continue to focus on my treatment. I am so glad I was able to get that mother-daughter bonding time with her by having her with me at Our Hope. She is my top priority. As a first-time mom, I am learning and growing, and my baby girl is helping me do that. Staff at Our Hope helped guide me not only through recovery, but through being a mother too.
I encourage other mothers struggling with addiction to come to treatment, before it is too late. Our Hope is a good place to find recovery and support as a mother, daughter, or friend. If I can finish recovery treatment while pregnant and then with a newborn, you can do it too.
While Brittney’s story is special, her situation is not unique. The World Health Organization found that 1 in 5 women will experience a mental health condition, including SUD, during the perinatal period (pregnancy through first year postpartum). Untreated mental health concerns during this time pose a serious risk to a woman’s wellbeing and impacts the health and development of her child.
For these mothers, each day without treatment raises the risk of serious harm or, even worse, death for themselves or their children due to these mental health conditions.
In honor of Mother’s Day and Mental Health Awareness Month in May, will you help impact the lives of mothers suffering from these deadly diseases?
How you can make an impact:
- $50 funds the completion of a child needs assessment with the mother.
- $150 funds a one-hour session of individual therapy for a mother.
- $250 funds transportation to routine perinatal appointments.
- $500 funds one week of parenting classes.
- $1,000 funds hygiene and dietary items for pregnant women and mothers.
- $2,400 funds three days of detoxification services for a pregnant woman.
- $6,000 funds 15 days of Residential Treatment for one mother.
Will you join my mission to fight mental illness, increase birthing outcomes and, most importantly, help save lives? Make your gift TODAY and change the life of a family forever. These mothers cannot wait for tomorrow. Visit OurHopeAssociation.org/Give to give today.
Gratefully,
Rosemary Hodges, BS, MS
Executive Director