The women suffering from extreme pregnancy sickness during lockdown

A woman from Bodmin is joining others across the UK to raise money and awareness of extreme pregnancy sickness.

Caitlin Dean is chair of the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support, set up to help those affected by Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), a condition made famous by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Now a group of 24 people, made up of HG survivors, friends, family, and the small team at the core of the charity, are running 1 kilometre for 40 days to raise awareness and much needed money.

The charity has been inundated with calls since the coronavirus pandemic.

Event founders Jo Hill and Becky Whitfield both suffered the severe pregnancy complication. They have since volunteered for the charity to peer-support others who are suffering. T

"HG really is a test of endurance and for some women that lasts 40 long weeks. This challenge therefore represents the continued relentless nature of severe pregnancy sickness through the 40 consecutive days of activity. When I suffered with HG I wasn't aware of PSS or even of anywhere I could turn for support. When I learnt about the organisation, I wanted to volunteer my time to provide the support women need, and also improve the experiences of suffering women through raising awareness and improving research. The charity needs funds to keep up their fantastic work and so I am proud to be part of this challenge to raise these valuable funds."

Jo Hill, HG Survivor and event founder

The challenge was planned to start in April but, due to government Covid-19 restrictions, was unable to take place. This hasn’t deterred them and the challenge will run for 40 consecutive days, representing the total number of weeks in pregnancy. The team are located all over the UK and a member in Australia has joined in too! Each team member must cover at least 1 kilometre each day, every single day.

Pregnancy Sickness Support is the only UK charity supporting people suffering from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and the debilitating, potentially life-threatening condition Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

HG Sufferers can vomit up to 50 times a day throughout pregnancy, often needing hospital treatment and multiple medications.

The mental health effects from the social isolation and unrelenting nature of the condition can also be profound and are often underappreciated.

This year the isolation has been made worse by Covid-19 restrictions and made access to treatment even more difficult than normal.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic the charity has seen a surge in callers, supporting more than triple the amount of women and their families compared to last year, equating to thousands of people a year.

With the majority of key fundraising events cancelled this year Pregnancy Sickness Support, like other small charities around the UK, have struggled to raise the necessary funds to continue their vital work. In addition to raising as much money as possible over the course of the 40-day challenge the team hope to raise awareness about this little known and often misunderstood condition.

“This year has been particularly tough for women with HG who found themselves isolated and struggling to access treatment in pre-covid days. It’s even harder now and we’ve seen a huge increase in contacts, particularly those struggling with the mental health impact of the condition and lockdown.

"Our team have been working flat out to provide support. We normally rely on events to raise the money to operate and this year has seen key annual events cancelled. We’re delighted that so many fundraisers have joined this team and I’ve even got myself some trainers to join in too, and I’ve not run any distance for about 20 years!”

Caitlin Dean, Charity Chairperson and 40 Days Challenge team member

If you or someone that you know if currently suffering please contact the team at Pregnancy Sickness Support via their helpline on 024 7638 2020 or via online support services at www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

You can find the fundraising page here.

• pregnancy sickness support