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b EELS NAME THEIR BEST AND FAIREST FOR 2018: PAGE 3WEDNESDAY AUGUST 29, 2018 PARRAMATTAADVERTISER.COM.AU

RIVER CLEANS UP ITS ACT RESTORATION work on Parramatta

River is going swimmingly, with another 12 sites earmarked for swimming or rec-reation. The list of potential swimming spots comes ahead of the release of the Parramatta River masterplan.›› Full story page 7

Revealed: 12 more potential swimming spots investigated

Stacy Thomas

Star’s baby bluesTV presenter Antoinette Latouff has laid bare her battle with perinatal depression,

telling of her anguish following the birth of her second daughter.

» Full story page 11

Picture: Monique Harmer

JERSEYBOYS.COM.AUOPENS THIS WEEK CAPITOL THEATRE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018 PARRAMATTAADVERTISER.COM.AU NEWS 11

V1 - PAGE01Z01MA PARRAMATTA ADVERTISER, Wednesday, August 29, 2018 11

Jackpot weakens the kneesA GREYSTANES mother was made redundant a fort-night ago but is celebrating after winning the $2.4 million Keno jackpot.

The 52-year-old plans tobuy all three of her adult children homes.

The winning ticket waspurchased at Pendle Inn, Pendle Hill last Thursday night.

The 10 numbers that wonher the cash prize were a combination of the ages and birthdates of her grandchil-dren, herself and her partner.

“I’m still in dream world.I’ve got to pinch myself,” the anonymous winner said.

She missed the big win andwas only alerted to it when the manager came over and asked if she was still playing and someone had won the jackpot.

“I said it wouldn’t be me be-cause I’m too unlucky for that,” she said.

“But there was only me andone other chap playing. I went to the machine to check my ticket, and it said some-thing about exceeding the limit.”

Her knees and heart wentand all she remembers is everyone holding her up.

MERRYLANDS

There is light at the end

Gidget Foundation spokeswoman Antoinette Lattouf with her husband Danny and their daughters Halena and Amelie. Picture: Monique Harmer

Supporting those struggling with parenthoodMaryanne Taouk

TELLING her mother abouther peri-natal depressionwas tough for AntoinetteLattouf.

The Channel 10 journalistand TV presenter, who grewup in Merrylands, struggledwhen her second daughterAmelie was born.

“I had insomnia, panic at-tacks and I wasn’t able to eat.I just felt horrible,” she said.

“It got to the point that Ididn’t want to be in the same room as her, I didn’t want to hold her … my mum would beyelling at me because I would be breaking down and she would say, ‘You have a lovinghusband and great family, there’s no reason to be so sad,’she couldn’t understand.”

Lattouf calls her life afterpregnancy a “brutal intro-duction” to depression, an ill-ness often undiagnosed in migrant communities.

“My mother came to Aus-tralia after the civil war inLebanon, it was difficult forher to understand what waswrong with me, she wouldtell me to toughen up,” Lat-touf said

“There is almost a cultural

expectation that a woman’srole is to be a mother.Motherhood is revered, fam-ily is everything, so the ma-ternal thing should triumphall else.”

In the fortnight after Ame-lie’s birth, Lattouf said shehad little to do with herdaughter.

“I slept in the spare roomand I relied on my husbandto feed her through the night.I don’t think I could havesurvived without his help,”she said.

After hitting rock bottomshe sought help and calledmental health hotlines, visi-ted GPs, therapists and psy-chiatrists.

“I was really fortunate,”Lattouf said. “I was support-

ed and I’m thankful I didn’tfall through the cracks.”

A team of mental healthworkers helped her get backon track, but Latouff said shewould probably have depres-sion for the rest of her life.

“I’m worlds away fromwhat I was. I’m so much bet-ter, but I still have to lookafter myself,” she said.

Following her experience,Lattouf became an ambassa-dor for the Gidget Foun-dation which offers supportto families struggling withparenthood, particularlythose from migrant back-grounds.

“Having experts who canspeak Arabic or Farsi avail-able can really help drivethat community awarenessand let women who feelalone know there are peoplewho share what they’regoing through,” Lattouf said.

“I’ve heard from womenwho are Vietnamese, Indian,Chinese, who tell me ‘I feellike your telling my story’,”she said.

The foundation hasopened Gidget House atStockland Merrylands.b To book an appointment visit gidgetfoundation.org.au

The statistics›› Previously known as postnatal depression, peri-natal anxiety and depression during pregnancy and early parenthood affects almost 100,000 Australians each year, equating to 1 in 5 newmums and 1 in 10 new dads.

GREYSTANES

headfyrst provides specialised Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Mental Health Counselling Services to young people aged between 12 and 25 years.

The Salvation Army Youthlink and headspace centres at Castle Hill, Mt Druitt and Parramatta are working together to provide an innovative service for young people experiencing co-existing AOD and mental health issues.

headfyrst offers:• A safe, confi dential, program encouraging open communication

between young people and their clinician in a non-judgmental environment.

• Resources, counselling and support to help young people in their recovery journey.

• Support so young people can build on their strengths in order to enhance health, wellbeing, independence and participation in a meaningful life.

• SMART Recovery Groups, an addiction recovery self-help group for young people.

• Collaborative support working with other mental health, health, youth and community services.

headfyrst is a free service and no mental health plan is required

 To make an appointment with headfyrst contact:

headspace Castle Hill 8820 9995headspace Mt Druitt 8881 2500headspace Parramatta 1300 737 616 Youthlink 0411 204 329Email: headfyrst@aue.salvationarmy.org

www.salvos.org.au/youthlink/headfyrst

This service has been made possible

by funding from Western Sydney Primary Health

Network.