Health Winners

Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere

Winner – Health and Science (Group)

When families are faced with a mental health diagnosis of a loved one, there are many questions, and the lucky ones follow their search engines to FAME.

The Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere (FAME) gets many referrals from the internet, a phenomenon that executive director Christine Cooper attributes to the information age.

“We live in a day and age where people just head to their computer,” said Cooper, noting that in a recent survey most of their clientele have come across their services via their website.

The internet becomes a safe haven to find information without judgment.

“The whole family becomes stigmatized,” said Cooper. “There is a real sense of grief and people mourn when you have a young son or daughter diagnosed with schizophrenia. These are not illnesses you could talk easily about with other people.”

Mental illness can range from bi-polar disorder to schizophrenia and even depression.

Meanwhile, caregivers can be anyone from parents and grandparents to children of those afflicted with these illnesses. FAME helps them all.

“We have a generation of children that are raising parents with mental illness,” said Cooper. “They will do everything from medication management to making a 911 call. We teach them, that’s what we do.”

It’s what FAME has been doing for the last 22 years from its Dundas street offices.

The agency serves more than 4,000 families in the GTA.

And with a staff of eight, it’s a heavy caseload. “We go about doing our work, and we don’t really notice that people are noticing,” said Cooper of the nomination.

However the work itself is the reward.

“Mental health patients have a much higher recovery rate when family is involved,” said Cooper. “(Family) assists with housing by augmenting income; they are that person who always believes (the patient) can get through this; they help divert crisis.”

Denise Bebenek

Winner – Health and Science (Individual)

It was with a heavy heart that Denise Bebenek drove away from SickKids Hospital without her young daughter Meagan after the almost five-year-old girl lost her battle to an aggressive brain tumour.

However, the mother of three was determined to not let her daughter’s short life be forgotten.

Now nine years later, Meagan’s Walk, an annual celebration of life which takes place on Mother’s Day, has raised over $1 million for the hospital to help with research into the same deadly disease that killed little Meagan.

The walks start at Ontario Place and makes its way to the hospital, culminating in a ‘hug’ – a human chain, surrounding the hospital.

The hug embodies the feeling that Denise had that day Meagan left the earth. She wanted to wrap her arms around the building and not let go.

“There is no greater tragedy than the loss of one’s child...yet, Denise continues to inspire, and motivate others with a deep sense of compassion and hope,” said her nominator Sylvia Kennedy, who was Meagan’s principal.

A parent to two other children at Our Lady of Sorrows School at the time, Bebenek saw an opportunity to engage her community here in Etobicoke and throughout the Toronto Catholic District School Board in the process.

“Each school has a Meagan,” said Bebenek. “This is a chance to put their faith into action.”

The days leading up to the main event at SickKids Hospital, schools throughout the board host “spirit week” where they raise funds through theatre nights, bake sales, ‘purple days’ where kids sport Meagan’s favourite colour, and other fun events.

“The message of hope, is just as important as the fundraising aspect,” said Bebenek. “When we come together collectively as a community, it’s incredible how much can be done.”

Bebenek said she couldn’t have accomplished so much without her community.

“Etobicoke is the seat of Meagan’s Walk. They are the ambassadors, they have shown the city what it means to be a community.”

The walk, she says, gives an opportunity for kids to reflect on the gifts they do have.

“I stand amongst the most unbelievable human beings,” she said. “The people of Etobicoke should be so proud.”