Shelane's Run Postpartum 5K
Donation protected
Shelane was a strong, energetic, intelligent and warm woman. She had a hearty, infectious laugh and a bright smile. She was a loving and supportive wife to her husband, and a devoted mother to her three beautiful daughters, Nadia (7), Sofia (5) and Olivia (2). She truly lived for her girls and dedicated a lot of time and energy into making their lives extra special.
On Mother’s Day of 2015, she happily announced her fourth pregnancy at a family gathering. She, her girls, and her family were excited! On May 29, Shelane went in for her routine 12-week check-up and learned that the baby’s heartbeat had suddenly stopped beating. She was heartbroken and struggled with not knowing why the baby's heart had stopped. On June 11 Shelane had a routine follow-up with her doctor and was hopeful to get the test results of why she may have lost the baby but it was inconclusive.
The morning of June 12 th , 2015 was like any other, filled with the usual juggling of getting Nadia off to the school bus, and taking care of Sofia and Olivia on her day off of work. On that beautiful sunny afternoon, after she made sure all the girls were safely at home and comfortable she made an irreversible split minute decision to go into the next room, close the door and end her life. We believe her suicide was the result of a postpartum mood disorder, more specifically postpartum psychosis. Her sudden death shocked her family, friends and community, none of whom had heard of postpartum psychosis. If they had, perhaps Shelane would have had the resources to treat this temporary illness.
This is why we want to host a 5K in her honor. Not only because Shelane was an avid runner, often participating in races for a cause, but to raise awareness for women, husbands, partners, friends and families. Since our loss, we have found a lack of resources for new mothers and mothers who have lost a child that may be going through postpartum depression. With the help of Postpartum Support International (PSI) we want to ensure other families are informed and know where to turn to prevent future tragedies.
This GoFundMe fundraiser will help us get Shelane's Run 5K off the ground and hopefully will be the start of an annual event. Please visit www.shelanesrun.org for more information and updates. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping us make this dream become a reality!
On Mother’s Day of 2015, she happily announced her fourth pregnancy at a family gathering. She, her girls, and her family were excited! On May 29, Shelane went in for her routine 12-week check-up and learned that the baby’s heartbeat had suddenly stopped beating. She was heartbroken and struggled with not knowing why the baby's heart had stopped. On June 11 Shelane had a routine follow-up with her doctor and was hopeful to get the test results of why she may have lost the baby but it was inconclusive.
The morning of June 12 th , 2015 was like any other, filled with the usual juggling of getting Nadia off to the school bus, and taking care of Sofia and Olivia on her day off of work. On that beautiful sunny afternoon, after she made sure all the girls were safely at home and comfortable she made an irreversible split minute decision to go into the next room, close the door and end her life. We believe her suicide was the result of a postpartum mood disorder, more specifically postpartum psychosis. Her sudden death shocked her family, friends and community, none of whom had heard of postpartum psychosis. If they had, perhaps Shelane would have had the resources to treat this temporary illness.
This is why we want to host a 5K in her honor. Not only because Shelane was an avid runner, often participating in races for a cause, but to raise awareness for women, husbands, partners, friends and families. Since our loss, we have found a lack of resources for new mothers and mothers who have lost a child that may be going through postpartum depression. With the help of Postpartum Support International (PSI) we want to ensure other families are informed and know where to turn to prevent future tragedies.
This GoFundMe fundraiser will help us get Shelane's Run 5K off the ground and hopefully will be the start of an annual event. Please visit www.shelanesrun.org for more information and updates. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping us make this dream become a reality!
Organizer and beneficiary
Sarah Bryant
Organizer
Fairfax, VA
Postpartum Support International (PSI)
Beneficiary
