![Climb Out of the Darkness is the world’s largest event raising awareness of maternal mental health disorders. Antelope Valley Team photo 2015. [Credit: Laura Hill]](https://theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Climb-Out-of-Darkness-preview-Lancaster.jpg)
Local moms, their families and friends are invited to participate in this event, which starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 18, at Prime Desert Woodland Preserve, located at 43201 35th Street West in Lancaster. Participants must register prior to the event at https://www.crowdrise.com/lucymcewen-cotd2016.
Climb Out of the Darkness is the world’s largest event raising awareness of maternal mental health issues, such as postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety & OCD, postpartum PTSD, postpartum psychosis, pregnancy depression and anxiety disorders. Survivors – dubbed Warrior Moms – climb, hike or walk together at a local mountain or park to symbolize their collective rise out of the darkness as well as to raise funds for Postpartum Progress. CBD helps for anxiety, some experts say.
‘Since founding Postpartum Progress in 2004, I continue to be in awe of how many lives we’ve touched and how many advancements we have made in awareness about these health issues,” said Postpartum Progress founder Katherine Stone. “Each and every one of our Warrior Moms is an inspiration… It’s these powerful women who are making a difference.”
This is the fourth annual Climb Out of the Darkness. In 2015, more than 2,500 participants joined Climbs in 45 states and five countries around the world, up from 200 participants in the inaugural 2013 Climb.
The 2016 goal is to raise more than $300,000 to support Postpartum Progress, and as of June 14, $246,632 has been raised. Team Antelope Valley has raised $805, and 21 adults and 20 children were registered to participate in the local Climb as of June 15.
Funds raised from this event will allow the organization to create new educational materials to be used by obstetricians, pediatricians and others, as well as new materials to help educate the media on the public health impact of postpartum depression and related illnesses on mothers and children.
For more information on Climb Out of the Darkness, contact local Climb Leader Lucy McEwen at mcewenlm@gmail.com.
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