When many of you think of me I know the first thing you think of is either my infectious laugh or my smile, whatever it is, I know that my name has sparked a positive image. Often when I hear my own name I think of the girl who was completely defeated by her own depression and was forced to drop out of school, in fear of what I might not become. Read that again, cause I need you to understand that persception is different for everyone. I felt weak, when people thought I was strong, I felt nothing when people thought I was at my happiest. Some days I still feel nothing. Some days I don't smile at all. At a young age, I had to admit that I needed more help than my family could ever offer. I started going to counseling and my world changed. I started to realize that I was never weak and that I had more control than I believed. I fight myself to remember this on my darkest of days, but the fact that I'm sharing this story with you, makes me feel like I'm still winning and I'm still strong. I've had to dive deeper into my head to understand the darkness and how to recognize it before it overwhelms me. Suffering from depression will probably always be apart of me, but I refuse to let that be a bad thing.

From now until Friday, May 10th, I will be raising money for CAMH,  and on May 10th some really great musicians and friends of mine will be playing some rather amazing music in support of mental health!

CAMH One Brave Night is a chance to share a piece of myself with the world for a great cause. I am excited (and a bit nervous!) to express my passion and creativity, so we can inspire hope for the one in five Canadians who experience mental illness every year.

Please donate today and help me reach my fundraising goal.

Together we will break down stigma, fund innovative research, and provide access to new and promising treatments for people living with mental illness.