Four years ago Angela Wakefield had everything: a loving partner, beautiful children, a profession and a nice house.
But following the birth of her youngest daughter Katy a double tragedy struck.
On March 31, 2013, her partner Jason Micklethwaite suddenly died from a heart attack.
Soon after, Angela, who had already been struggling with postnatal depression, had a mental breakdown.
She and Katy, who was born with Williams Syndrome, were taken to a special unit for new mothers in crisis.
Katy and Angela’s other two children, Emily and Isabel, could have been taken into care had it not been for the endless support from Slaithwaite charity Shabang.
Katy was born with Williams Syndrome, a rare condition which causes an ‘elfin’ appearance, an unusually cheerful demeanour, developmental delays and visual and spatial problems.
For the first three months of her life Katy was unwell, suffering hernias.
The stress was almost overwhelming for Angela but when her previously healthy partner Jason, 44, died suddenly, it tipped her over the edge.
She was admitted to a specialist hospital unit where Angela was diagnosed with postnatal depression and Katy was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome.
Angela, 43, of Holmfirth, said: “I had a complete breakdown – I didn’t know what my name was.
“I didn’t know I was there.
“When Katy was diagnosed with Williams Syndrone you can image how much further I went down.”
With medication and intensive counselling, Angela was gradually able to leave the unit.
But living back at home was incredibly difficult and had she not received help from Shabang, Angela believes she would have been back in hospital.
Shabang, run by Kim Reuter and Russ Elias, helps children with learning difficulties through performance art and filmmaking.
Angela said: “They were there for me 24 hours a day. They were just a phone call away.
“They were like two angels. Without Kim and Russ, Katy would have been in care.
“Today Katy is the happiest; she’s fluent in sign language. She’s been in films and all sorts.
“Kim looked after a child with Williams Syndrome and we have such a bond.”
Angela admits she’s different to the happy person from four years ago – but she’s doing well.
“It’s taken me three years to get back,” she said. “I’m not entirely there; I don’t think I ever will be.
“But I am happy again.”
But activities at the charity, based at the Watershed, have been suspended following a fire caused by an electrical fault in August.
Angela said: “We were just gutted; everyone was in tears.
“We just wanted to know how bad the damage was.”
Now she has organised a fundraiser with Grey Fell Academy, a mainstream Shepley nursery which Katy attends.
The nursery will hold a sensory obstacle course for its children on October 12.
Grey Fell Academy and Angela hope to raise £1,000 to keep Shabang going at a temporary base until the Watershed is repaired.
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Angela said: “Katy would be in foster care without Kim and Russ – how do you thank them for that?
“This is just a little way to keep them going.”
She added: “Without Shabang I don’t think I would have survived.”
For more about Shabang visit: www.shabang.org.uk.
