Flora’s Walk Brantford will take place at Glenhyrst Gardens on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
The event, which begins at 11:00 a.m., will raise funds and awareness for perinatal mental health care in Canada.
Canadian woman, Flora Babakhani’s lifelong dream was to be a mother. At 44 -years-old, after years of fertility treatments, Flora finally and happily became pregnant. Tragically, on January 14, 2022, two months and ten days after Flora gave birth to her daughter Amber, she died by suicide due to undiagnosed postpartum psychosis.
Flora’s Walk raises awareness of perinatal mental health care and postpartum mood disorders. The walks take place in an effort to promote advocacy and fund accessible supportive resources for birthing individuals in communities across Canada. This year, Flora’s Walk Brantford is raising funds for Mindful Path Counselling in their efforts to provide free therapeutic services to women, birthers and their families in the greater Brantford community. Mindful Path Counselling is asking that community members and local organizations join their efforts to raise funds for the provision of free and accessible perinatal mental health care in Brantford.
WHAT: Flora’s Walk Brantford
WHERE: Glenhyrst Gardens, Brantford Ontario
WHEN: Saturday May 10, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
ACTIVITIES: Walkers will meet at the above location; bottled water will be provided; short opening statements/speeches; followed by a walk for approximately 3 to 5 km
This year, Flora’s Walk Brantford is being led by Ornella Marinic, a long time women’s health advocate, dedicated mental health professional and clinical therapist at Mindful Path Counselling. In 2024, Marinic received the Meritorious Service Cross from the Governor General of Canada for her previous efforts supporting women’s health and wellness. She sees Flora’s Walk as an extension of this work and an opportunity to raise awareness of the complex challenges inherent to the postpartum period. “Women’s health, and particularly women’s mental health, deserves better
understanding and additional supportive resources. It is a vulnerable time for many (if not all) new mothers and birthers. They deserve wrap-around supports and specialized healthcare and mental health screening.” Marinic’s plan is to use the funds raised through Flora’s Walk to provide free group and individual therapy that addresses perinatal mental health, birth and reproductive trauma, and coping with loss/grief for women and birthers in the Brantford community.
The rate of perinatal mental illness has risen from 1 in 5 pre-pandemic to 1 in 3, with 40% of women and 20% of men in Canada currently suffering from a perinatal mental illness, and rates are even higher for marginalized populations. Only 15% of women experiencing a mental health issue during and after pregnancy receive professional help. Currently, suicide is the second leading cause of maternal death in Canada.
“We want to make sure that what happened to Flora never happens again to anyone in Canada,” said Marinic. “Perinatal mental illness is treatable with the right supports and resources. Our goal is to improve access to these types of supports and resources available in the Brantford community.”
Unlike the UK, Australia and the US, Canada does not have a National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy. Flora’s Walk is working to change that.
Mothers, partners, babies, families and friends are all invited to join us for a walk to discuss, promote and support perinatal mental health on May 10th 2025.
