Stomp out the Stigma

This weekend my mom is hosting the 2nd Annual Beautiful Minds Walk in San Luis Obispo. The walk is to help raise awareness for mental illness, and to help raise money for the local NAMI Chapter (National Alliance for Mentally Ill).

3 years ago, we attended the NAMI Walk in Huntington Beach. My best friend Lisa and I both raised money for the cause, and we walked to support people in our families that are affected by this terrible disease. We spent the day around an amazing group of people trying to stomp out the stigma of Mental Illness. It was astounding to see how many people came out to support such a great cause, and I am happy that NAMI helps create a community that dedicates their efforts to assisting the mentally ill.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders. All major cities have local chapters to assist families in need.

My mom adopted this advocacy/awareness tactic and created the Beautiful Minds Walk, and brought it to San Luis Obispo County last year. It was a much smaller turnout than the one in Huntington Beach, but a major success. I have never been more proud of my mom. The stress and the hard work leading up the event, brought everyone to tears once the day was over. I have never felt so close to my family, and I was so happy to have all my loved ones join us.

I am very sad I won't be apart of the Beautiful Mind's Walk this year. Tim and I could not get the time off of work, and with me being pregnant, it makes it very hard to travel so many hours in a car in such a short amount of time. In the past 6 months, my mom has dedicated countless amounts of hours reaching out the local community for donations, and preparing for this event with her team. I am so proud of my mom and her continued efforts to support this foundation. She's passionate about this cause. She understands the importance of creating a community where people can turn to in their dark hour. Her outgoing personality and energy are one of the reasons this walk has come full circle. I know it is going to be another great success....

If you happen to be in the area or would like more information on the walk you can visit the following links. You can also make a donation to the cause by downloading the brochure.

http://namislo.org/index.html
http://namislo.org/BMW_Brochure_and_reg_form_2010.pdf

Remember to stomp out the stigma on mental illness.