 Cathy Rodriguez lived with postpartum depression for almost a year before she was diagnosed and finally got help. Today and several years later, she not only knows more than nearly anyone about this devastating condition, but she has also turned her experience into political activism to urge research, funding and treatment for this poorly understood illness.
After Cathy’s second baby was born in March 2003, she felt pretty bad but a similar thing had happened after her first child, so she figured it would just go away as it had before. This time, however, it didn’t and the symptoms were worse.
Fortunately, she got a brochure from her doctor on postpartum depression in February 2004 and realized that she had all the symptoms of the illness. Since Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital had the only postpartum depression support group in town, she made the trip from her Marana home.
“At the beginning, I was embarrassed and scared to attend the support group, but after I arrived I found it to be a warm and inviting environment,” Cathy recalls. “Carole Sheehan [Postpartum Depression Program Coordinator] is very nurturing, and it was very comforting to find that I was not alone.”< br />
After listening to other participants tell their stories, Cathy felt safe enough at the end of that first meeting to speak. That experience marked the beginning of her journey to wellness.
As Cathy says, “I really credit St. Joseph’s for having this support group. I feel St. Joe’s has the best postpartum care for mothers, and I always recommend this hospital. The staff is excellent—they follow up with new moms after they’ve been discharged by calling them at home to check on them.” |
St. Joseph’s Hospital began the Postpartum Depression Program in 2003, and the support groups are free and open to the public. The hospital also conducts free screenings and runs a help line for one-on-one assistance in dealing with perinatal mood disorders, including postpartum depression.
Cathy has turned a difficult experience into a drive to help others. “Postpartum depression was a negative experience in my life. I had to turn it around into something positive,” she says.
She saw a Mrs. America television show and decided to enter the Mrs. Arizona pageant so that she could have a platform to speak about postpartum depression. “I competed in 2006 and 2007—something I had never even considered before—so that I could get the word out about this devastating illness. It turned out to be a very positive experience.”
She was a top-five finalist both years, which allowed her to present her cause to the audience and judges. Cathy has since testified before the Arizona State Legislature and is proud that her efforts have helped get a bill in motion (still pending) to study postpartum depression. She also makes trips to Phoenix about once a month to attend meetings and discuss this important issue.
In addition to her activism in keeping the issue alive, she also helps others in a more personal way by serving as a volunteer to help others. Cathy went through Carole Sheehan’s training program and now works one day a week offering peer support to help callers to the St. Joseph’s help line for postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders.
“Support is so necessary and important, and it helps so many families,” she says. “It doesn’t just affect the moms, but their husbands and children, too.”