Pictured (L->R): Christie Buono, Director of Marketing and Community Partnerships, BC Women’s Health Foundation with Kiran Behl, franchise owner of two Cobs locations (South Point Annex and Semiahmoo)
If you joined the hordes of bakers, flexing their sourdough-starter muscles this pandemic year, you’ve likely developed a newly found appreciation for the bread bakers in our community. From Vancouver to South Surrey, to Richmond and beyond, nothing says freshly baked yumminess more than COBS Bread!
In May, COBS Bread stores stepped up to move the needle on women’s health and joined the BC Women’s Health Foundation’s growing network of community partners. Choosing Mother’s Day as the perfect launch for this first-time partnership, ten COBS Bread bakeries from neighbourhoods across the Lower Mainland raised more than $6,000 for women’s health, within the short space of a single weekend.
“I am proud to partner with the BC Women’s Health Foundation,” Andrew Gunn, franchise owner of two COBS Bread stores in Vancouver (Main Street and Blundell), told the BC Women’s Health Foundation. “One of my children was born at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, so when given the opportunity to give back, it was a 100% yes.”
The COBS Bread partnership supports the Foundation’s $4.5 million Reproductive Mental Health Campaign that focuses attention on the growing need for accessible solutions for women navigating postpartum depression and anxiety. This has never been more important than right now as 40% of BC women reported not having access to the mental health support they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic*. As we face the effects of a pandemic year, the increased anxiety, and impacts of social isolation can be felt all around – it’s clear how prescient the Reproductive Mental Health Campaign is.
Pregnancy and childbirth is expected to be a joyful time for a family — but the reality is often very different: many women face mental health issues that can be debilitating. Every woman is at risk of experiencing mental health issues during and after pregnancy, especially those who have previously experienced depression. The overall effects on a family can be devastating. This sheds light on the deeper issue that women regularly experience a variety of barriers which prevent them from accessing mental health services. Based on international data, it is estimated that up to 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, or other reproductive mental health issues.
Thanks to the generosity of community partners like COBS Bread and compassionate donors who are committed to supporting exemplary women’s healthcare, the innovations being developed by the BC Reproductive Mental Health Program are giving women the support they need. Through their investment in reproductive mental health resources, our donors are directly impacting the experiences of women in British Columbian who are seeking support – helping and even saving the lives of women across the province.
“A strong woman is a healthy woman… BC Women’s Health Foundation supports women’s mental and physical health (for), which I am truly grateful, especially during these trying times.” – Kiran Behl, franchise owner of two Cobs Bread locations (South Point Annex and South Surrey) and an enthusiastic fundraiser for women’s health.
If you or someone you know wants to join the growing circle of BC Women’s Health Foundation community partners, please get in touch with Christie Buono, Director, Marketing + Community Partnerships!
*As reported in the Spotlight on Mental Health Report
BC Women’s Health Foundation is BC’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s health. The information shared is intended to educate, inform, and point readers to credible sources. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
