Kappa Delta - Florida State University

3 A Scholarship in Taylor's Honor To honor Taylor and increase awareness, education, and medical care for postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis, a graduate scholarship endowment has been established through the National Kappa Delta Sorority. The Taylor Long Fishel Scholarship will be awarded annually to a graduate student pursuing mental health-related studies, preferably focused on serving women. All Kappa Delta alumnae can help fund this scholarship by scanning the QR code below to visit tinyurl.com/2yufkjwd and contribute today. If you're reading this, you are part of someone's tribe. Educate yourself on the signs of PPD, PPA, and PPP. No matter what your age, empower yourself to make a difference. Taylor and I met in 2011, shortly after pledging Kappa Delta Sorority at Florida State University. Taylor was beautiful, genuine, eager for adventure, and just flat out fun to be around. She was a Tallahassee native and as poor college kids we looked forward to Sunday dinners at her parents' house. Marie's homemade biscuits were a favorite, and her family became an extension of our own. From Bid Days, to flamingo flocks, to formals and socials - our four years at FSU were the best years of our lives. As we were preparing to graduate and leave behind the world we had built, I had a KD mentor tell me "the best is yet to come." I thought she was full of "you know what" but turns out… she was right. Taylor and I celebrated every milestone together—graduations, engagements, weddings, pregnancies, and motherhood. In the summer of 2018, Taylor moved to Jackson, Mississippi, with her new husband, Howell, as he began his residency program at Jackson Memorial. Though their closest family and friends were in Florida, they built a strong support system in Jackson. In March of 2022, Taylor gave birth to Lewis who was (objectively) the most beautiful baby boy. In moments that should have been pure joy, Taylor began to struggle in ways that many new mothers do, but too often, those struggles are dismissed or overlooked. She started showing signs of postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety (PPA)early on. The vibrant, confident, and loving Taylor we all knew began to fade under the weight of exhaustion, self-doubt, and an overwhelming amount of postpartum psychosis (PPP). Despite having a medical community around her, despite the love of her husband, family, and friends, postpartum depression took hold in a way that too many women silently endure. This part of the story has a happy ending. After about a year of struggling with all things postpartum, we got our Taylor back. In 2023, Taylor, Howell, and Lewis moved back to Florida, and were surrounded by tons of family and close friends. When Taylor told us in 2024 that she was wanting to give Lewis a sibling, we were obviously hesitant. But with her strong support system, we believed her second postpartum experience could not be worse than the first. Until it was. Like any other condition, disease, or diagnosis there are many ways to manage the symptoms and root cause. Mental health is no different. Since this is my story too, I'll share that I manage my own mental health with medication. Taylor's story is a heartbreaking reminder that postpartum depression is serious and requires awareness, support, and resources. I wish I had known more signs and asked more questions. Now I share her story, honor her life, and encourage open conversations about maternal mental health. Together, we can ensure no mother feels alone. Jenn Gilbert McManus

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