National Diversity for Positive Role Model in Mental Health Award Bio Blog

Around a month ago I was nominated as a Positive Role Model in Mental Health at the National Diversity Awards.

I am a married mum of 2 girls, raising awareness for mental health. I have Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder & Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I have recently started blogging as therapy Sarah’s Blog

I have suffered with depression & mental health for many years. I started my life long journey with anti-depressants at 16 & other than a few small breaks & now some extra medication thrown in for good luck, I’m still taking them.

Having already lost my husbands parents early into our family life, it was when I lost my mum in 2015 to ovarian cancer that I began to deteriorate. I then had a planned hysterectomy to reduce the risk, which also meant I went into early menopause at 32. I took on the Edinburgh Rat Race Mighty Deerstalker with 2 friends & raised over £2000 for Ovarian Cancer Action so she is on their tribute wall. I also lost my best friend to suicide in 2016 which was when my symptoms deepened further as I lost the 2 people closest to me. Last year, I took part in the Manchester half marathon, with a recent diagnosis of asthma, I did have to work for lots of it, but we raised over £800 for SOBS, survivors of those bereaved by suicide.

I work for an amazing charity called Good Things Foundation which helps people live better lives through digital. So we work with digital & social inclusion. I recently helped Sheffield Flourish & Sheffield Mental Health Guide with their Urgent Care website page & want to do more in my community & nationally. I want to set an example for my children & others to remove the stigma of mental health & also help raise awareness of therapy, suicide, ovarian cancer & bereavement. I share my experiences, hoping it will help others, but also enable people to speak out & find ways of seeking treatment & help quicker.

For Mental health awareness week I was interviewed on BBC Radio Sheffield with Toby Foster about my condition. I travelled to Oxford last month to take part in a clinical trial at the University of Psychiatry, which I will continue in June where I am have an MRI scan, all in the name of Borderline Personality Disorder/ Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder research.

I am now holding a local Wellbeing & Mental Health event in my village of Eckington, as I’m passionate about Social Inclusion. Not only have we got a range of organisations, charities & support services, but I have managed to get our local MP & the Lord Mayor of Sheffield to attend. The event is a real family event, with organisations for adults & children in 1st June.

Thank you if you have chosen to vote for me already or if you would still like to, there’s 5 days left to vote, please click here

Sarah x