Our Mission Statement
Maternal mental health issues, such as postpartum depression, is a real issue where 1.3 million mothers in the U.S. are affected each year. So today and every day going forward, with the help of the Believe KNT foundation, we will continue to share Kristin’s story to help others in need because that is what Kristin would want. We share so that others will not suffer this pain or carry this unbearable burden of grief and loss. We share so that we continue to believe that Kristin is always with us and that her light will shine on forever. Most importantly, we will help others like Kristin, who are in desperate need of maternal mental health care so that daughters and sons across the country never have to grow up without their mothers.
Through this foundation, we hope to educate and bring awareness about postpartum depression, raise funds, and help provide funding/financial aid for women experiencing hardship through prenatal and postpartum to be able to get the help they need as well as help support established programs specifically for postpartum depression.
Kristen Garzone
I’m Kristen Garzone. I live in Troy (Upstate NY) with my husband Steve, daughter Ellie, and the best golden retriever, Troy. You can usually find me running miles, lifting, traveling, spending times with friends and family, and talking about a cause very close to my heart: mental health, especially maternal mental health. I was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety when I was 21 but it wasn’t until about 5 years ago, after the birth of my daughter in October 2016, when my life was completely turned upside down, that I started publicly sharing my story and fighting in the open.
Back in 2016 when I was pregnant with my daughter Ellie, I had no idea what postpartum depression even was. Little did I know, I was suffering from PPD and badly. On June 2, 2017, when Ellie was about 7 months old, my life changed forever. My dear friend, Kristin, (who felt more like a sister) had taken her own life at 10 months postpartum. I can’t even begin to explain the uncontrollable grief that took over me (and still does on some days) but above all, and sadly enough, losing Kristin ultimately saved my life. It broke my heart but forced me to realize how serious my condition really was.
You now can find me running marathons and raising money for Every Mother Counts as well as raising awareness and advocacy for postpartum depression.
Follow along on Instagram at @mellank.