Mike Trillow joins Dan to share his story about the loss of his baby daughter, Ivy, to a rare genetic condition when she was just four and a half months old.
Not only does he talk with incredible grace about the raw experience of the grief he and his wife share, but he also discusses how he's able to process Ivy's passing, and the family's determination to bring as much joy to the world as possible in her memory.
One of the key reasons Mike wanted to take part in the show was to shine a light on the incredible work being done to help families like his, while also highlighting the marked difference in support for Mums and Dads.
Here are the timestamps for when each of our core questions is discussed, so you can fast-track to Mike's answers:
0:00 Introduction to GoodEnoughChats and Mike
3:00 Why are you sharing your mental health experiences with us today?
6:01 How has your last week been?
8:44 How has your relationship with your mental health evolved?
24:33 What have been the lightbulb moments for you?
40:28 If someone facing a similar problem came to you today, what's the most important thing they can do?
If you'd like to chat with Mike about his experiences, reach out to him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-trillow/
If you would like to find out more or support his fundraising efforts for the Oxford Hospitals Charity, go to: https://ivysgifts.co.uk/
Mike also talked about the children's book he's written and self-published, Angel Ivy. If you would like to order a copy, please visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Angel-Ivy-Michael-Trillow/dp/B0CND3XJTR
Why is GoodEnoughChats a thing?
There is a mental health crisis for men aged between their mid-thirties and early fifties, and one of the things we know can make a positive difference is encouraging men to open up about what's on their minds.
Each episode of GoodEnoughChats features a new guest who has volunteered to share their experiences to help destigmatise mental health amongst men.
The discussions are all centred on the same five questions, but each one tells a unique story that might be useful for someone else to hear. We want to build a bank of these chats so they are there for people when they need them.
If you're interested in sharing your mental health story to help others who might be going through something similar, you can connect with Dan on LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowsher/
Find the show on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on all our socials via this link: https://linktr.ee/goodenoughchats
If you have been affected by some of the issues addressed in this conversation, please know that you are not alone and there are some fantastic places you can turn to for help, including (but by no means limited to):
NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), https://www.thecalmzone.net/
Samaritans, https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/