Hope – sometimes it is all that is left.
Stories are the threads that weave us together, bring clarity to the struggles and challenges of others, and breathe renewed life into engaging possibilities. We become all the richer from them.
A Client’s Story
“My depression was like a mind and body assault from which there was no escape. I was withdrawn to a point where I just tried to survive; I was immobilized. When all hope seemed lost, a new study at The Royal gave me a new outlook and a whole new way of thinking opened up to me. Today, I have my life back.”
- Anne Walsh
A Mother’s Story
“How do you keep the hope alive for a better tomorrow for your child? By sheer will. And faith – faith that she will feel better, that her illness can be managed and that she will lead a happy, productive life. Our great hope is that someday soon, at The Royal, there will be an answer. What it is, I couldn’t begin to tell you. But we’ll keep the faith.”
- Mary Scott
A Friend’s Story
“My friend’s suicide is the reason I support the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. Although I couldn’t help my friend in her darkest hours, through The Royal, I know I will be helping others. And in a sad kind of way, my friend will live on.”
- Melissa Kruyne
Heather Hennigar was born in Toronto, raised in Nova Scotia and is the mother to an amazing daughter. Depression first came knocking when she was just 17 years old. She has battled major depressive disorder, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-partum depression, anxiety, seasonal-affective disorder and suffers from a mood disorder. Heather inspires others through her speaking engagements, her blog and her absolute refusal to allow her illness to govern her life. Heather – we salute you – the original face of The Royal’s You Know Who I Am campaign.