The Amazing Camp That Gives Hope To Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones

Peterborough's Shelley Hermer is Ontario Program Coordinator for Camp Kerry Society. Here, she gives us an insider look at the impact of Camp Kerry retreats in British Columbia—which use a holistic approach to bereavement care where emphasis is placed on healing both within and between families—and writes about the first Camp Kerry Ontario being established.

Camp Kerry offers family retreats and year-round support programs for children, youth and parents who are grieving the death of a loved one. The camp is named after British Columbian Kerry Kirstiuk, an inspiring mother of two young children, who lost her battle to colon cancer in 2006. Designed and overseen by family bereavement expert Dr. Heather Mohan, Camp Kerry began in 2007 as a pilot project after Kerry's husband Bob requested that donations in her memory be given to Dr. Mohan's program at Lions' Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. 

Shelley Hermer (above left) at Camp Kerry in BC

Dr. Mohan's response was immediate, fulfilling a long-standing dream to run a family bereavement camp. Since then, more than 150 families in British Columbia have benefited from these specialized services. In 2011, Camp Kerry officially separated from Lions Gate Hospital and was incorporated as an independent Canadian charity.

In 2011, I traveled to BC to volunteer at Camp Kerry and since then have been working towards bringing this exceptional and unique program to Ontario. With the approval of the Camp Kerry Society Board of Directors, we have set a goal to bring 10 Ontario families to the first Camp Kerry Ontario retreat in October 2014, held in the beautiful Haliburton Highlands.

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

Parents often describe their biggest worry is that they—and their children—won’t recover from the loss of their loved one. They talk about the balance of needing to keep old memories alive and creating new ones. Children and parents convey their desire to see their family enjoy life.

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

At the retreats, so much happens for families. Yes, there are tears—the Saturday evening memory service and Sunday afternoon message balloon release allow families the chance to openly remember their loved ones. Parents and children participate in groups led by professional therapists, providing opportunities to share and receive peer support. Key to the model is the therapeutic use of art, music and adventure challenges in a natural setting. In the words of one parent, "we experienced what we never thought possible."

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

Fundraising and events to help raise awareness about this Camp Kerry Ontario retreat are in the works, involving support from and collaboration with Peterborough and area community organizations. If you would like to be part of the first Camp Kerry Ontario—either by offering financial support, assisting at events, volunteering your time, or if you simply would like more information—please contact me at shelley@campkerry.org.

—By Shelley Hermer

Here's some more pictures below from Camp Kerry in BC, as well as a YouTube video about the camp...

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Spirit Of Play February 16th At Sport And Wellness Centre To Bring Play & Laughter To Kids In Haiti

There is a special "family play day" this Sunday (February 16th) at Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre to raise money to bring play and laughter to kids in Haiti. Activities will be coordinated by kids health expert David Kittner. See the poster below for more info.

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Today Is #BellLetsTalk Day

Millions of Canadians suffer from mental illness in silence. Today (January 28th) is the 4th Annual Bell Let's Talk day, where Canadians break the silence around mental illness and raise money to support mental health iniatives across the country. The more talk, the more action to help those in need.

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Art For Awareness Special Screening Of 'Erasing The Stigma' On Bell Let's Talk Day

This Tuesday, January 28th at 7:00 pm at Market Hall, Art For Awareness will be screening the DVD of their recent, original multimedia dance production Erasing the Stigma for local organizations. Art for Awareness (AFA) is a group of dedicated people committed to producing high-quality theatre with a social message. Erasing the Stigma addresses depression, anxiety disorders, postpartum depression, schizophrenia, addiction, eating disorders, the culture of technology/social media, suicide, the justice system, coping mechanisms, support workers, medication, and building hope through the use of real testimony via video clips, live music, original choreography and spoken word. The show seeks to normalize the struggles faced by people living with mental health issues in an educational, entertaining, and compassionate way. For more info on Art For Awareness and Erasing the Stigma DVD, email here. We covered Erasing the Stigma last year here.

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Watch This Promo With Cancer Survivor Courtney Druce For Pink In The Rink

Courtney Druce is a 4-time cancer survivor. Watch this promo she did for Canadian Cancer Society's Pink in the Rink fundraiser taking place February 6th at the Memorial Centre when the Peterborough Petes play Oshawa. Learn more about her here and how to donate.

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Peterborough Mother Launches Indiegogo Campaign To Save Her Daughter From Dying Of Eating Disorder

Ingrid

[UPDATE: Huffington Post Canada picks up our story.]

Peterborough mother Susan Nelson has launched an impassioned Indiegogo campaign to help save her daughter Ingrid, who is fighting a serious Eating Disorder—and right now losing the battle.

Ingrid, 23, is in immediate need of being transferred from her current placement in a hospital in Ontario to a specialized residential ED program for life saving treatment. But Provincial Health Insurance does not cover residential treatment of Eating Disorders, so the family find themselves facing having to pay for Ingrid's treatment—something they simply can't afford to do.

The costs include four months at an Ontario residential treatment centre followed by months of private aftercare programs—both not covered by insurance. 

Susan says on the Indiegogo campaign that not being able to afford treatment for their daughter is simply "one of the worst feelings any parent can imagine. There's nothing left for us to do other than ask for help from our extended community and beyond."

Ingrid, who is afraid she is going to die from the disorder—"I am barely alive," she says—writes that "Without a program, my eating disorder is becoming stronger and more intense, and I feel increasingly hopeless and consumed by this disease. My illness has progressed to a level out of my control. Unfortunately, they aren't experienced with eating disorders here at the hospital and I have continued to decline both mentally and physically. It is difficult for me to write honestly about the state I am in right now, as a huge part of my illness tries to minimize and ignore the severity of its hold on my life. But I have to push myself to face this reality, and to make others aware of what is happening."

Just days into the campaign, the family has already raised nearly $8,000 of their $60,000 goal—with 44 days left in the campaign.  [**UPDATE January 16th: They've now raised close to $15,000.]

Make a difference: Help save Ingrid's life by donating to this campaign to raise money for the family to get her into the specialized program.

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If I Could Tweet Right Now, Here's What I'd Tweet

Peterborough's local and global world-changer Maryam Monsef is in another corner of the planet where she can't tweet as social media and many websites are censored/blocked there (we won't reveal location as it could make it unsafe for people she is with, she tells us).

We asked her in an email if she could tweet out a message (she loves Twitter, and the power of social media) to people back home in Peterborough and Canada, what would she say? Here it goes, and she asked us to share this with all of you...

"If I could tweet right now, I'd tweet about the reality check I got upon arriving here. I'd tweet about my health. How much I appreciate being an able bodied person and how stupid I was to do things to jeopardize it.

If I could tweet right now, I'd tweet about how much I miss being my own person in Canada, the ability to work, socialize, and to contribute to society. I can't go anywhere alone here. I can't be spontaneous. I am not encouraged to seek adventures. I am indoors 99% of the time and I miss riding my bike downtown.

If I could tweet right now, I'd tweet about how grateful I am to have a Canadian passport. That piece of paper guarantees me a safe and secure life in Canada, and the opportunity to visit any country in the world without the hassles the people here face.

If I could tweet right now, I'd tweet about my newfound appreciation for Family. The people who love you unconditionally, share sweet and not so sweet memories with you and want the very best for you. I have that kind of a family here and am blessed with the same kind of love from my Peterborough community.

If I could tweet right now, I'd tweet about the amazing little women who have declared themselves to the country's Red Pashmina reps and are determined to collect nominations of local women of impact, just as we have in Peterborough.

Basically, if I could tweet right now, I would be overtweeting more than ever because having so much to say and not having access to my favourite social media platforms is not good for my heart ;)

My goal for 2014 is to make better use of the skills, means and liberties my Canadian life affords me. Now I know without a doubt that I am the lucky 1%."

—Maryam Monsef

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Peterborough Start-Up Redpath Hosts Launch Party At Market Hall December 12th

Next Thursday (December 12th) at Market Hall, Peterborough-based startup Redpath will be introducing their social network for mental health and addiction, along with the premiere of its Redpath YouTube video by local video company Whitebulb. The redpath model has been used offline for many years in communities to treat those in need. Now, bringing it online, this social platform will use technology to deliver real-time access to those in need. Redpath is about connecting the disconnected. You can follow redpath on Twitter @redpath_, and on Facebook at TheRedPath. Email info@redpath.io to RSVP or call 705-874-3048. See poster invite below...

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Why I'm Participating On PTBOCanada.com Movember Team

The hairiest month of the year has finally arrived! Movember is a month that many men can’t wait for. As most of you know, this is a month dedicated to raising awareness and funds for mental health initiatives and to help battle prostate cancer.

To some, Movember is simply an excuse to grow the best duster possible and to wear it with pride. To others, such as myself, Movember means quite a bit more. Though I do enjoy the task of growing as good a moustache as possible, which I am terrible at by the way, it is the raising funds and awareness aspect that I take more seriously.

Though my immediate family has been relatively unscathed by cancer, I know many others that haven’t had such good fortune. Thankfully due to early detection, many of these people have beaten the odds and the cancer itself. I know this was only possible due to the research that doctors have been able to perform thanks in part to raised funds. I know they appreciate it when people take action to raise funds to further study and hopefully find more ways to treat and beat such a prominent cancer in today’s world.

So, as much fun as Movember can be for many Mo Bro’s and also Mo Sista’s, I ask that you not just grow a moustache for the fun of it, but that you attempt to make a difference by raising awareness and money for a worthy cause.

Prostate Cancer might not impact anyone in your family, but odds are at some point it will affect someone you know. The more money raised, the better our chances become of finding a way to beat it!

If you’d like to join our PTBOCanada.com team, we would love to have you on board. Or if you would like to donate to us, that would also be appreciated! Every donation counts in this ongoing battle! Together we can change the face of men’s health.

Find our PTBOCanada.com team here.

—by Aaron Elliott 

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Best Thing Ever: Peterborough Girl Sarah Edge Celebrating Her 10th Anniversary With New Heart By Hosting Blood Clinic

Sarah Edge was only six weeks old when she first begin experiencing heart problems. By the time she was 15 months, and her health in severe decline, she was placed on a heart transplant waiting list. Her family was afraid Sarah would not make it, and she was down to only 15 pounds. After weeks on the waiting list, Sarah’s mother received the miracle call that the family had been waiting for: A heart had been found!

At 18 months old, Sarah received the heart transplant she so desperately needed. Throughout her treatment, she also needed 66 units of blood products to help beat the odds that were not in her favour.

Ten years later after her miracle heart transplant and the generosity of blood donors, Sarah is giving back. In celebration of her post-transplant anniversary, the 11-year-old from Peterborough hopes that the blood donor clinic she and her family are organizing will bring out donors willing to help save the lives of children like her.

Sarah’s Celebratory Clinic is Tuesday, November 5th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at  Peterborough Blood Donor Clinic (55 George St. at the corner of George and Perry St.). Members of the community are encouraged to come out and support Sarah and other children in need of blood and blood products, as well as organs. Call 1 888 2 Donate (1-888-236-283) or go online to Blood.ca to book an appointment to donate blood. In addition, it takes only minutes to register to be an organ or tissue donor. Visit Beadonor.ca to find out how.

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