Honoring Moms, Saving Lives: The Story of Maternal Suicide Awareness Month, Week, and Day

By Kristina Dulaney, Founder of Cherished Mom

When I began my advocacy journey in maternal mental health, one truth stood out and became impossible to ignore: maternal suicide is a leading cause of death in the first year after a baby is born. Despite this heartbreaking fact, it was rarely discussed, often overlooked, and too often shrouded in stigma and silence.

That silence is what led to the creation of Maternal Suicide Awareness Month, Week, and Day—dedicated times to shed light on the mothers we’ve lost, support the families affected, and rally around the urgent need for change.

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The Origins of Maternal Suicide Awareness

In 2015, I experienced postpartum psychosis when I was 5 ½ months postpartum. In the depths of that illness, I came dangerously close to losing my life. Surviving that season changed me forever—it opened my eyes to the terrifying reality that too many mothers don’t make it through.

In the years that followed, I founded Cherished Mom and began connecting with families who had lost loved ones to maternal suicide. Each story carried the same weight: these were preventable tragedies.

It was during conversations with Joy Burkhard of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (formerly 2020 Mom) that the idea for a coordinated awareness effort truly began to take shape. Together, we envisioned a way to bring maternal suicide into the national conversation and honor the lives lost.

That same year, the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (then 2020 Mom) launched the U.S. Maternal Suicide Awareness Week in 2018. Maternal Suicide Awareness Month, Week, and Day were all established together—with September designated as the official month, and a dedicated week and day set aside within it. The goal was simple but urgent: to educate, remember, and act. 

• Maternal Suicide Awareness Month: A time for ongoing education, remembrance, and advocacy throughout September.
• Maternal Suicide Awareness Week: A week of concentrated awareness and storytelling, engaging communities, healthcare providers, and advocates.
• Maternal Suicide Awareness Day: A specific day of remembrance and action, honoring lives lost and calling attention to the need for systemic change.

Together, these observances created the first coordinated national platform to acknowledge maternal suicide, a step forward in breaking the silence around this devastating crisis. In 2024, the memorial wall and social media awareness campaign were officially handed over to Cherished Mom. 

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Maternal Suicide Memorial Wall

In September 2024, during the launch of the Is MOM ok? Campaign, the Policy Center entrusted Cherished Mom with the Maternal Suicide Memorial Wall—a powerful virtual tribute to the mothers we’ve lost. This memorial continues to stand as both a remembrance and a call to action, ensuring that the voices and stories of mothers are never forgotten.

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The Is MOM ok? Campaign

From this movement came the Is MOM ok? Campaign—a simple but powerful question that can change (and even save) a life.

The campaign was designed to spark conversations, open doors for honesty, and remind us that behind every smile or social media post, a mother may be struggling in silence. By wearing the words, sharing the message, or asking the question, we break down stigma and create a culture where moms feel safe to say, “Actually, I’m not okay.”

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Why It Matters

Every mother lost to suicide leaves behind grieving children, families, and communities. Each loss reminds us of the gaps in our healthcare systems, the lack of resources, and the urgent need for education and support around maternal mental health.

But it also reminds us that we can do better.

• By normalizing conversations about maternal mental health.
• By training providers to screen and support new parents.
• By listening without judgment when a mom bravely shares her struggle.

Together, we can build a future where no mother feels alone, and no family endures the pain of losing a mom to suicide.

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Honoring the Families Behind the Memorial

The Maternal Suicide Memorial Wall is not just a collection of names and photos—it is a living, breathing tribute created through the courage and love of families who chose to share their mothers’ stories.

To every family who has entrusted us with their loved one’s memory: we see you, we honor you, and we hold your stories with deep respect. By sharing these stories, you’ve given the world a chance to remember not just the tragedy of loss, but the beauty, strength, and love of the women behind each name.

Your bravery ensures that their legacies live on—not only as a reminder of what we’ve lost, but as a catalyst for change.

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Join Us in the Movement

This September, and every September, we remember the mothers we’ve lost and recommit to saving lives. You can join us by:

• Wearing or sharing the is MOM ok? campaign.
• Visiting and honoring mothers on the Maternal Suicide Memorial Wall.
• Sharing educational resources during Maternal Suicide Awareness Month, Week, and Day.
• Checking in on the moms in your life—not just once, but regularly.
• Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is ask, “is MOM ok?”+

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Explore More PSI Resources:

PSI’s Postpartum Psychosis Task Force

Postpartum Psychosis Discussion Tool 

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