The article discusses the profound impact of a Channel 4 drama titled 'Dirty Business', which revisits the tragic story of Heather Preen, an eight-year-old girl who died from an E. coli infection due to sewage pollution during a holiday in 1999. Her mother, Julie Maughan, has dedicated her life to campaigning for awareness surrounding the issue after experiencing the heartbreaking loss of her daughter.

Julie's narrative also highlights the lasting effects of this tragedy on the family, particularly on her husband Mark, who struggled to cope with the loss and ultimately took his own life 17 years later. The drama has brought painful memories back to the surface for Julie, but she also notes that it has provided her with some understanding of her husband's emotional struggles in the years following their daughter's death.

Through her reflections, Julie Maughan aims to shed light on the mental health challenges that can arise from traumatic loss, illustrating how families can be irrevocably altered by such tragedies. The article serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing mental health and the impacts that public health issues, like sewage pollution, can have on communities.