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PerinatalPro.com

The expert resource for women, families and healthcare providers offering the information you need to combat the effects of pregnancy related mood disorders

Creative Commons License
Perinatal Pro by Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.perinatalpro.com.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

February 24, 2009

CBS Cares launches colonoscopy sweepstakes!



Hey Ladies and friends – This article presents a departure from reproductive mental health but features another issue so important to women’s lives – a healthy colon! Did you know that colon cancer affects women in equal numbers to men?  You and your friends, parents, neighbors and community need to know about – and participate – in the latest creatively astute initiative from CBS Cares.

 

Last night during 60 Minutes, CBS Cares launched their newest health care effort to encourage colonoscopy – and the best part? You can enter a contest to win a free colonoscopy  which includes round trip airfare to NYC for two people and  three nights of luxury accommodations in a Loews Regency Hotel suite. As most individuals experience rapid recovery from this one day outpatient procedure, you still have two days to enjoy NYC with the relief of knowing you have cared for your colon.

 

The fingerprints of Matthew Margo,  Senior Vice President of Program Practices at CBS Television Network and the dedicated team at CBS Cares are highly evident in the combination of humor, information and encouragement which characterizes this engaging and life-saving campaign. From the intro that will leave you smiling, to the great interview with expert Dr. Paul Miskovitz, to the actual contest you can enter for a totally free colonoscopy – CBS Cares never fails to present a compelling case for attention and action to their featured issue.

 

Acknowledging the fear that may cause some individuals to avoid or postpone this life saving test, common barriers to colon care compliance have been removed by the offer of transportation, expert medical help, humorous encouragement and reward!

 

The colonoscopy for the lucky winner will be performed at the Center for Specialty Care by author/specialist Dr. Paul Miskovitz -- a leading gastro-enterologist in New York City and expert on colorectal cancer.  You can read the interview with Dr. Miskovitz on the CBS Cares website which offers more information about colorectal cancer

 

CBS Cares is an award winning division of CBS Television network which continuously demonstrates its commitment to helping Americans understand the facts about crucial health and social conditions. Through a combination of expert consultation, responsible story lines in primetime shows, news features and public service announcements, CBS has contributed more than $200 million in PSA’s (public service announcements) since 2008. These successful campaigns have included many issues critical to women and children including Breast Cancer, Child Abduction, Child Advocacy, Children’s Health, Depression, Heart Disease, Menopause, Osteoporosis, Parenting, Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention (including spousal and child abuse) and Postpartum Depression.

 

Too often the media feeds us sensational and disconnected bits of information, but CBS Cares is an example of a serious convergence/coordination of network resources to engage viewers in maintaining and increasing their individual and community wellness. 

 

The postpartum depression campaign was initiated with a sensitive storyline on their Primetime Series Cold Case, a compelling public service announcement by Cold Case star Kathryn Morris (which  offered women a number to call that very moment if they needed help) and a news feature on the CBS Early Show. In addition, the CBS Cares website presented interviews from top experts in women’s reproductive mental health and links to helpful organizations. Throughout the following year, the public service announcements were seen by millions of viewers on land as well as in the air on over 30,000 American Airline flights! A Spanish version of the PSA presented by Cold Case star Danny Pino was offered, free and unbannered to any Hispanic network who wished to air it (that offer still stands by the way!).

 

So ladies, go enter the contest and then start clicking and sending - you never know whose life you may be saving. Profuse thanks to Leslie Moonves at CBS Television network and the CBS Cares team for your philanthropic investment in the health of American families.


February 13, 2009

ABC’s Private (Mal) Practice fails to present the facts

in botched opportunity to raise PPD Awareness

  

Caving to the sensationalism that fuels stigma (and perhaps ratings) rather than supports understanding, last night's ABC’s Private Practice episode presented an outrageous and unsympathetic caricature of a woman suffering from postpartum depression… or was it postpartum psychosis? The show’s producers apparently passed on any professional consultation, so the new mother presented an unlikely combination of severe symptoms which were poorly interpreted and never professionally assessed. The result? A botched opportunity to raise awareness while fanning the flames of fear that keep women and families suffering in silence.

 

The image of the suffering mother  - with acupuncture needles sticking out of her head - experiencing a psychotic episode was more akin to Friday the 13th than the public awareness campaign promised by ABC. Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare with incidence less then 2% and was not accurately presented in this three ring circus. The implication that postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis are interchangeable labels is incredibly irresponsible.

 

But the show’s mothers weren’t the only target of ignorance and blatant indifference to client care.  The show managed to insult every health care professional associated with the mother’s illness. The therapist came off as a clueless, self absorbed nut case who failed to advocate for her client, the acupuncturist acknowledged that his client was having a psychotic episode (yet left her alone in a room), and the two docs charged with the care of the other pregnant mother were engaged in their own emotional and professional battle which failed to place the welfare of their client first.

 

The Public Service Announcement that was supposed to air immediately following the show  - to inform women and families where they might find the CORRECT information and help for such disorders -  went missing. Therefore the thousands of new or pregnant mothers who might have watched the show (let’s pray they went to bed early instead) were not given any resources unless they went to the website itself. And there, further insult awaited.


The Private Practice Homepage is now offering a poll. You can answer YES or NO only to the question:

"Should a woman undergoing psychiatric treatment who nearly drowned her baby be allowed to see it?" 

It can be imagined that this additional witchhunt will generate a tsunami of negative responses furthering the misunderstanding of perinatal mood disorders and associated stigma.

The show had approached Postpartum Support International for consultation on the Public Service Announcement – perhaps attempting to legitimize their story line by association with the world’s number one resource for PPD - but PSI was not shown the episode prior to airing.  Hopefully, those set on their teeth by this horror show may have googled postpartum depression and found PSI’s website where they can find the information and help they need to navigate pregnancy related mood disorders.

Or let’s hope they found Katherine Stone’s
Postpartum Progress Blog – an award winning website authored by an amazing woman who devotes herself to presenting the FACTS about these illnesses and encouraging women to seek treatment and each other.
  On Katherine’s website you can find listings of the U.S.’s most stellar PPD facilities and providers where best practices and renowned professionals successfully treat the mothers who come to them with appropriate care and respect.   

Or perhaps googling PPD brought them to a beautifully authored and compelling PSA on Postpartum Depression presented by
CBS CARES.  This Public Service Announcement was developed in conjunction with a sensitive PPD storyline on their award winning series Cold Case last year. It has been seen by thousands, probably millions of people across the country who were positively moved by its prosocial message of outreach and hope.


Finally dear pregnant, new moms, or those contemplating pregnancy - If you watched that show and wondered.. Could this be me?  The answer is NO!! Those on the forefront of PPD research, education and treatment are among the most devoted and passionate practitioners you can find (see list above). If you aren’t feeling like yourself and new motherhood isn’t what you expected or you want to know the FACTS about PPD - get those questions answered now by experienced specialists who will guide you to the right treatment - if needed.
 
Perhaps we can take the perspective that any media spotlight focused on these disorders might heighten awareness and get people talking. But what a missed opportunity for a major network to offer quality primetime educational outreach to help prevent or end the suffering of the 800,000 women who will experience a perinatal mood disorder this year.

To calm down listen to this beautiful song,
composed by Wade Bowen, about his wife's experience with postpartum depression.
Here's the link to it on U-Tube

Wade Bowen sings  Turn on the Lights

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