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The sponsorship deadline for this event has passed
A message from Debbie:
Dear Friends:
I wanted to share a personal story with you. When I was in high school, my brother started showing signs of schizophrenia. He stopped eating our mother's food; he feared he was being poisoned. He secretly recorded his friends during lunch break; he believed they were talking behind his back. He was in numerous physical fights with other students in our high school and our neighbors down the street. Perhaps, naturally, most of his friends stopped talking to him. Actually, no one really even acknowledged he was my brother either. It was like everyone wanted to ignore his existence.
It wasn't just my brother people were trying to ignore. My family was basically shunned from the tight-knit community we grew up in. A lot of our family friends stopped having weekly dinners with us. Although from my perspective now, I know that it's difficult to remain friends with a family that's doesn't even know why it's "changing," it was more than devastating on our end. I think things would have been different if people just understood and acknowledged my brother, David.
Last year I participated and volunteered for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Since my brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia, I've always wanted to do something to help him. I learned that one of the best ways of helping my brother is educating the public about the difficulties and realities of mental illness. I know that NAMI is a great organization that spreads knowledge in the community and creates opportunities for families to unite and cope together.
When I volunteered last year, I realized so many families in San Diego County need help and have gotten it through the NAMI services. Their family-to-family and peer-to-peer programs provide places for people to meet and learn about how to improve the future with their loved ones. As important as it is for families to share, it's equally important to help NAMI spread the word about mental illness. The stigma against mental illness needs to be reduced. We need to work together to improve the public's perspective, such that a mutual respect can be given to those and their families enduring mental illness.
I will be walking on April 19, 2008 at Balboa Park. If you would like to sponsor me and donate any amount, please click on the button below.
Feel free to browse more information at www.nami.org
Note: NAMI is a 501(c)3 charity and any donation you make to support my participation in this event is tax deductible. NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities "most likely to save the world" and has been given an "A+" rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars. NAMI has also been given 4 out of 4 stars by The Charity Navigator for short-term spending practices and long-term sustainability.
Love, Debbie
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