Having experienced severe depression and anxiety, I would likely not be here without your support. I understand how dark the darkness gets. The depth of despair goes well beyond where light can reach and it feels like there’s no way out. I started thinking about ending my life.

The incredible professionals at Humber River knew how to save me. I got to better understand what was happening to my brain and my body, and how I could take control of it again. Because of the community, classes, medication, and therapy, I slowly, slowly got better. The mental health programs at Humber River provided a lifeline that reached beyond those seemingly unreachable depths of despair and helped me find a way out.

- Edmund Li

My struggle with depression started when I was younger. I was bullied because kids are mean. I look different than other people, and I guess I just seemed like an easy target. I entered high school and it was a really big shift of environment. That’s where I felt the most ashamed of how I was feeling. It got worse and worse every year. I really hated myself during those days. I just thought to myself: I would just rather die.

The day I checked in was on my birthday. I was thinking I either try to get help or end it. When I said that I was feeling suicidal, in a way it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was hard, I hated my decision to get help because to me it was a reminder that you’re weak. Now I can look back and say: that was one of the bravest and smartest things I did. I felt like a normal human being. They really interacted with you, not like you’re a patient, but just that you’re a person that they cared about.

- Joanne Vuong

Hats On For Awareness has really helped us expand our program with the growing need of our community. Mental health has really become the forefront of what our community needs, and without our donors we wouldn’t be able to expand the way we have.

Rega Chang is a Master of Social Work at Humber River Health and she helps provide a wide range of interventions and support to patients and families across all programs in the hospital.
Also add space between paragraphs and a the person’s name as noted with the first story.

- Rega Chang