Canadian Mental Health Association - Please DONATE!

I am crazy, passionate about my career and working with vulnerable youth and their families. It was the CMHA that allowed me to use my knowledge, skills and experience with mental health to see how big a difference I could make in 1 kids life seeing him 1 hour a week for an entire school year. Not only did I lift his confidence and spirits, but I lifted my own. I regained a sense of purpose back and ever since have been looking for a way to pay it back to your organization, with the exception of just volunteering. Not knowing what that would look like, I applied to Miss Universe Canada thinking little of it, or that it was a far fetched dream, but it has become a reality and I cannot wait to use my voice for groups of people and communities that, similar to myself, felt like they had no voice. But they do. WE ALL DO and we NEED YOU. Turning my life around and becoming a mental health advocate has been incredibly rewarding. I could eat, sleep and breathe it. Odd? Maybe! But that's me!

 I was diagnosed in 2009 with depression, anxiety and a learning disability (no surprise there), but a a result I followed a path that I hoped would make me appear to be "the same as every one else," but the reality was, and still is, I am not the same as everyone else. My life was a constant battle of me comparing my intelligence to others only to realize, I had different interests! I am unique and I wouldn't want it any other way. Authentically me is the best version of myself possible, and rather than trying to pretend to survive, I'm living. But that wouldn't be possible if I didn't have organizations such as yours or Miss Universe Canada reminding me that given my differences, I CAN make social change. By sharing our experiences, our stories we allow others to feel that sense of normalcy, but more importantly hope. I want to spread hope to all, I want today's youth- young boys and girls, women and men- that mental health does not make us any less worthy and that it needs to be taken seriously. I want to demonstrate hope to these youth and show them that, though people may question you or say you're incapable of doing something, you can and you will.   And while that may sound like fairytale, so was getting accepted to Miss Universe Canada.

So please, if you can spare a one dollar or more, please donate to my page

To join me at my event and lend your support, please click on the link below.

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/startup.aspx?eventid=56491&langpref=en-CA

If you can’t join me, you can still help by sponsoring my participation. To sponsor me by making a secure donation online, click the link above and search for me.

Yours,
Dorothy

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=3280454&langPref=en-CA#&panel1-1