I joined in the Walk for NAMI this past weekend. The experience was great! It was so nice to see so many people joining in the fight for the cause. My group raised over $5,000. I was proud that we were able to raise so much money for such a worthy cause. NAMI, National Association of Mental Illness, raises awareness of mental illnesses and helps to combat stigma associated with mental illness.
I walked three miles for them that morning. I was surrounded by banners and signs. One particular sign caught my eye. It said that mental illness almost killed his daughter. It is a sad fact that mental illnesses take many lives each year. I think that it's mostly through ignorance of the diseases that does this. Hopefully the walk will help to bring to light illnesses that are mostly shunned and ignored. Mental illnesses are not made up. They are as real as heart disease and diabetes.
The walk left me a little sore, but I would do it again. It made me feel like I wasn't alone in my trek through my illness and it made me feel proud that I was able to contribute to such a worthy cause.
About the Author: Cristina C. Fender, 34, is rapidly becoming an expert on Bipolar Disorder. She has been researching Bipolar Disorder and blogging about her own experiences for several years. At age 21 she was diagnosed with depression and saw psychiatrists for over ten years before she was correctly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder I. Her vision for writing is to inform and educate the public about mental illness. Feel free to Email Cristina a comment or a question.Click here to Subscribe in a Reader.
© 2009 Cristina C. Fender
