Families in Luseland walk for Perinatal Mental Health

By Joan Janzen

Families and individuals gathered at Luseland Memorial Pool Park Saturday afternoon, May 4th to participate in Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health. Tanis Reschny organized the walk in Luseland for the first time and hopes it will become an annual event to be held the first week in May, and coincide with Maternal Mental Wellness Day on the first Wednesday in May. Tanis expects the event will grow bigger and better each consecutive year.

Photo by Tanis Reschny

”I found out about this walk from a colleague from Lloydminster who does the walk there. This year is the third year of Flora’s Walk fundraiser for Perinatal Mental Health,” Tanis explained.

Flora Babakhani was a 44-year-old single mom in Toronto who had anxiety during her pregnancy and had been previously diagnosed with PTSD. She delivered a healthy baby girl on November 4, 2021, and tragically ended her life two months after giving birth, due to undiagnosed postpartum psychosis.

Postpartum Psychosis happens to approximately 1-2/1000 women. The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaboration raises funds for organizations across Canada to deliver timely access to perinatal mental health services and to increase awareness and advocacy.

“This is something that interested me on a professional and a personal level,” Tanis said. “I am a public health nurse and want more resources available for moms that I see. I want more people to be OK about reaching out and sharing their story. I had Postpartum anxiety after my second born and didn’t get treatment until she was over a year old.”

Donations were not necessary in order to participate in the walk, but were greatly appreciated. “Seventy-five percent of the funds I raise will go to West Central Crisis Centre Inc., who provide counselling and other programs for family support,” she said.

Anyone interested can make a donation online at floraswalk.ca/en/Tanis-reschny or can send a cheque to Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaboration (CPMHC), 49 Lamont Cr., Barrie, Ont. L4N 2H3.

The participants walked the perimeter of Luseland before meeting back at the park where they listened to a short speech and enjoyed refreshments.