Stand Up. Stand Together.
Stand Strong.
"Many say it’s a story of success, triumph and courage but I believe it is a journey of how I found my voice." -Kennedy Baker
A few years ago my world crashed around me when I was confronted with challenges that I could never have imagined. Within the time period of just a few months I found out that my mom had been sexually assaulted, I had lumps in both of my breasts, my estranged father had passed away, and one night when I was out running, a man in a moving car drove up beside me, pulled a gun, and shot me.
I felt completely out of control. Suddenly, the world had become a very scary place. I became worried and anxious all of the time, and the stress took its toll, physically as well as mentally. I lost a significant amount of weight and my health suffered dramatically. In February of 2011, I was admitted to BC Children’s Hospital weighing just over 90
Kennedy Baker
pounds at 5’8” for what turned out to be a twelve-week hospital stay. My Diagnosis: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).After three long months in hospital I returned home, convinced that everything was going to be okay. I could finally get back to my life. However, I quickly realized that more challenges lie ahead of me. Not only had my friends moved on, but school was now a toxic environment where I was the target of bullies. Prior to January 2010 I was social, well liked, and felt like I fit in. Now, I was the “The Crazy Mental Girl” and ate lunch alone each day.
The greatest impact from all of these traumatic events resulted from the feeling of isolation and worthlessness.
In the summer of 2012, I began volunteering at a locak soup itchen called the 7-10 Club, which serves over 80,000 meals each year. I was surpirsed to learn that Nanaimo is ranked 11th in a list of the 92 worst health areas for Economic Hardships, and that over 15% of the local population receives some form of income assistance. Through the 7 – 10 Club I met, and began to truly understand, the interesting, unique, amazing people who use its services. I realized how judged, misunderstood and marginalized this underprivileged segment of society is. After being diagnosed and hospitalized with PTSD and GAD I, too, was misunderstood, judged, and treated differently. But I was able to overcome my challenges with the help of a supportive family and access to the required health care professionals. The 7 – 10 Club opened my eyes to the fact that many of the people who frequent soup kitchens are not that different from me – many are dealing with mental health conditions, others have faced hardships when they least expected it. However, unlike myself, most of them simply do not have the familial support nor health care access required to change their situations.
But there is always a siver lining....
In September 2012, working at the soup kitchen, and all that came before it, inspired me to create STAND, a not for profit organization that is driven by the need for social change. My hope is that by using my voice and sharing my story, I will encourage those suffering from mental illness, poverty, and homelessness to stand up, stand together, stand strong and find their own silver lining.