As far back as kindergarten, Laura recalls feeling alone. The Lower Mainland youth felt worthless and empty, her perceived sense of rejection becoming so intense that in Grade 8, she attempted suicide.
As hard as it was for Laura to navigate the world around her, her parents were devastated by her behaviour. They didn’t understand what Laura was going through and health professionals up until that point hadn’t identified what was driving her to such depths. Without a clear sense of why this was happening, there was little in the way of effective treatment.
Although she had visited a local emergency department after her first suicide attempt, medical professionals there simply weren’t equipped to address her underlying mental health challenges or support her moving forward.
After what was one of the family’s darkest days, everything changed for the better. On that day, Laura had run away from her home in her socks, heading straight for a bridge nearby to jump off. Her parents managed to get her into their car and took her to BC Children’s Hospital.
Not only did Laura get the help she needed, but her family also got the support they needed. “We never felt judged. They spoke to her gently and kindly like she was a person who was sick. I felt relief. I felt calmer,” says Alison.
The team at BC Children’s suggested Laura be admitted for a long-term stay in the pediatric mental health unit so they could evaluate her and get to the root of what was going on. The time Laura spent with the mental health professionals allowed them to diagnosis her condition. And with therapy, medication and coping strategies, Laura learned how to manage it. She improved with every passing day and was able to return home after six weeks.
Laura is now in her first year of university studying kinesiology. During her downtime, she loves to go to the gym, hike with her dogs, go horseback riding, and hang out with her friends. Although she still has difficult days, she often has a smile on her face and is excited about what lies ahead.
As she reflects on her care at BC Children’s, the first thing to come to mind is gratitude, a deep sense of thankfulness for the help she and her parents received.
For kids as well as adults, mental health is just as important as physical health. Throughout B.C., as many as 84,000 children and youth experience mental-health issues such as depression and anxiety. However, 70 per cent of those aren’t getting the care they need.
Early treatment is vital, and BC Children’s Hospital is playing a leading role in helping children like Laura through its various mental health programs. One of them is a provincial outreach initiative whereby its experts help community-care providers recognize when children need appropriate care, keeping them closer to home, while also identifying when someone needs a higher level of treatment at BC Children’s.
The hospital’s expertise and compassion in treating mental illness means that entire families are being supported. At the same time, it’s changing the course of children’s lives and helping diminish the stigma related to mental health.
There are many initiatives that are working to raise awareness of mental health in kids, including the RBC Race for the Kids, which helps make progressive, holistic mental health care possible.
Funds raised from the 2019 event will support children’s mental health initiatives as well as childhood cancer programs and research.
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s signature running event takes place on June 2 at Queen Elizabeth Park. Registration is now open for the scenic 5K route or 2K fun run, with early-bird registration on until April 16. The sooner people sign up, the more funds can be raised for crucial mental health initiatives.
The goal is to raise $1 million to help kids across B.C. get better, physically and mentally.
For more information, please visit RacefortheKidsBC.com.
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.