Brought to you by the Depression Is Real Coalition, The Down & Up Show is dedicated to the reality of depression. Our hosts will talk with some of the world's top experts on depression, as well as people who have been impacted by this illness. The reality of depression is that it is a debilitating and potentially deadly medical condition that affects more than 15 million Americans every year. The other reality of depression is that there is hope.

Mary Jo Codey

Mary Jo Codey, the First Lady of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006, is a gifted educator and counselor and a staunch advocate for individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness or breast cancer. A lifelong resident of New Jersey, she has been married to the state's 53rd governor, Richard J. CodeyÑwho continues to serve as president of the New Jersey SenateÑfor 25 years.

Personal experiences with both clinical depression and breast cancer have motivated Mrs. Codey to speak out on both of these serious health issues. As New Jersey's First Lady, she welcomed the opportunity to advocate on behalf of the Governor's newly created Task Force on Mental Health. Having suffered from postpartum depression (PPD) with both her pregnancies, the First Lady helped launch a statewide campaign offering evidence-based data, as well as local screening and medical resources for women, their families, and health-care professionals.

The campaign — "Recognizing Postpartum Depression: Speak Up When You're Down" — features Mrs. Codey in radio and TV PSAs. Resources include a bilingual website (www.njspeakup.gov), with sections for consumers and healthcare professionals, and a 24-7 helpline (800-328-3838) that provides women and their families with information about local resources for screening as well as emergency assistance. Through this multidimensional campaign, New Jersey became the nation's first state to commit resources to uninsured new mothers for postpartum depression screenings and treatment. The Codeys also played a key role in the passage of New Jersey's groundbreaking Postpartum Depression Screening and Education law, which took effect in October 2006.

Mrs. Codey has been tireless in sharing her story through public appearances and interviews to raise awareness about PPD, encourage other women to seek treatment, and help secure passage of a national law. She has made several trips to Capitol Hill in support of the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, introduced by Representative Bobby Rush (IL), and the MOTHERS Act, introduced in the Senate by Robert Menendez (NJ) and Richard Durbin (IL).

A second focus of Mrs. Codey's efforts is breast cancer. A breast-cancer survivor who lost her mother to the disease, she helped launch a statewide fundraising campaign in support of breast cancer awareness and has actively stressed the importance of early detection. Mrs. Codey also assumed the role of ambassador to the Governor's Book Club, which encouraged reading and literacy skills among elementary school children. It gave her an opportunity to visit schools around the state doing something she loves: reading to children!

Looking back on her 14 months as the state's First Lady, Mary Jo Codey has said: "I wanted to take what I've learned from all the negative things that have happened in my life and put that hard-won knowledge to use in helping others in similar situations. I had a limited window of opportunity to make a difference, and I tried to make the most of it!"

Mrs. Codey is currently a member of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). She is a former member of the board of directors of the Mental Health Association of Essex County and a current member of the President's Advisory Council of Postpartum Support International. In 1994, she pioneered and was the first facilitator for a post-partum depression support group that began at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and continues to operate today.

Born in Glen Ridge in 1955, Mary Jo Codey grew up in West Orange, where she and her husband currently reside with their two sons, Kevin and Christopher. After receiving a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Caldwell College, she went on to earn a master's degree in elementary education with certification as a learning disabilities teacher consultant (LDTC) from Seton Hall University. Mrs. Codey currently teaches basic skills at an elementary school in West Orange.