Maggie Holmes – click here for more info…

Mary Tatham – click here for more info..

.http://mindyourmind.ca/   Please check this site out. It has everything you need to help your kid’s!

My name is Maggie Holmes. I am 49 years old and live in Meaford, Ontario with my partner, granddaughter and her mother. At the age of 15 my son Ryan looked at me and asked me why I had never told him that the television could speak to him. He thought I was lying to him. Ryan had a mental illness which Doctors were reluctant to diagnose because of his age. He was psychotic, heard voices and had hallucinations. Eventually he was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Over the next 5 years of his life I did everything I could to help my son. I talked to anyone who offered the slightest hope, accessed every available and affordable treatment program, had Ryan hospitalized when necessary and tried every means of persuasion to get him to take his medication. It was not enough. On February 23, 2006 Ryan took his own life. At the time of his death Ryan did not know that he was to be a father.

My journey in trying to get help for my son is one that is shared with many other parents whose child has a mental illness and with every person who has a loved one with mental illness. From recognizing the signs of mental illness, to getting treatment, to finding the right medication, in the right doses – the obstacles and frustrations seem, at times insurmountable. What I learned throughout this process is that what limited programs do exist in Grey/Bruce targets adults and are not appropriate for our youth with mental illness. So I have decided to do what I can to raise awareness about mental illness and to raise funds that will help provide programs which target youth with mental illness.

On March 26th, 2011, in honor of the 5th anniversary of Ryan’s death, I will climb to Mount Everest base camp in a trek to raise funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association (Grey/Bruce). These funds will be targeted specifically for youth mental health and suicide prevention programs.
My goal is to raise $29,035 ( the height of the summit). Throughout 2010 and early 2011 I will be involved in a number of fundraising initiatives with the Canadian Mental Health Association, as we strive to reach our fundraising goal. Mental illness can strike anyone at any time for any number of reasons. It does not discriminate because of age, race, gender, class, marital status, sexual orientation or any other reason that defines difference. Please participate in my trek by donating what you can by pressing the “donate button” on the left-hand side, or by sending cheques payable to The Canadian Mental Health Association/Grey Bruce Branch at 1024 2nd Ave East, Owen Sound, ON, N4K 2H7 to the attention of Jackie Ralph, regarding “The Base Camp Trek”! Or call Jackie at 519 371 3642 ex 31     Or email me at mholmes525@gmail.com   Thank you so much.

Mary Tatham is a lawyer living and working in Toronto who has known Maggie Holmes and Ryan since 1992.

Mary comes from a family of great hill walkers and her idea of a perfect holiday is trekking to Mount Everest base camp, especially when it involves supporting Maggie and raising much needed funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association in memory of the special, wonderful spirit that was Ryan Holmes.

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Contact Maggie at mholmes525@gmail.com