Community members gathered at City Hall Saturday night to watch the iconic city landmark become a symbol for hope and recovery. Participating for the second year, North Bay is one of many communities across the world to partake in Light Up Purple, which encourages cities to light up important landmarks to recognize World Mental Health Day and educate people about mental health.
“It’s no coincidence we’ve chosen to light up a building in the middle of the city, in plain view,” says Mayor Al McDonald, who helped organize the event in North Bay with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Nipissing Regional Branch and the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) Foundation. “By participating in events like this, our community is taking a leadership role in speaking out against stigma and helping to educate the public about mental illness,” he said in a news release.
Colleen Whittle shared her family’s journey and their many obstacles with mental illness. “We often felt hopeless and unsure if recovery was even possible for our son. We want to change that. There are many discouraging stories about schizophrenia and mental illness and I feel we need to hear more about successful recoveries,” she said. “For us, support from family, friends and community is what made our son’s recovery possible,” she added.
Tanya Nixon, VP Mental Health at NBRHC shared a patient story that highlighted to need to make sure that dignity in mental health is a reality. “Acceptance and understanding can only be achieved when we put the person with the illness first,” she said. “Listening, never giving up and putting respect and dignity at the centre of the mental health journey are essential,” she added.
With campaigns like World Mental Health Day gaining publicity and attention, Georges Kristolaitis, Executive Director at CMHA Nipissing Regional Branch hopes feelings of desperation and seclusion when dealing with mental illness will one day be a thing of the past. Although there is still work to be done, he suggests there is a change in the stigma associated with mental illness. “It’s looking more hopeful. There is a growing realization and acceptance that mental illness is a common human experience,” he says.
NBRHC Foundation is raising community funds to help create a therapeutic environment at NBRHC that supports children and adolescents who require specialized treatment for their mental illness. “Access to care close to home is crucial,” says Tammy Morison, President and CEO, NBRHC Foundation “This new unit is helping children remain close to their family which is extremely important during treatment and recovery,” she adds.
