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2015 FACT SHEET
Features Reasons to Hope, Reasons to Walk – Personal Stories
Event to Promote:
The 12th Annual NAMIWalks Massachusetts
• Saturday, May 16, 2015
• Artesani Park, 1255 Soldiers Field Road in Boston (Brighton), MA (across from Days Inn)
• Check-In 9:00 a.m.; Program 10:15 a.m.; Walk Start Time 11:00 a.m.
• Walk-ins welcome
• 5K/3-mile course
• Fundraising goal: $600,000
• Learn more, register and donate at www.namimass.org/nami-walk
Lead Sponsor:
Beacon Health Options (Boston)
Presenting Sponsor: Sunovion Pharmaceuticals (Marlborough)
Media Contact:
Matt Ellis, [email protected], 617-278-6560
This Fact Sheet features:
• Reasons to Hope, Reasons to Walk – Stories from Individuals Available for Interview
• Quotes from Prominent NAMI Mass Supporters
• NAMI Mass Programs & Services Info
• Mental Illness Facts & Figures
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Reasons to Hope, Reasons to Walk – Stories from Individuals Available for Interview:
Eliza T. Williamson – Framingham Resident
If you knew every detail of Eliza T. Williamson’s long battle with mental illness, you might think it’s a
miracle that she’s alive, much less stable and happy. But you’d be wrong. Miracles are attributed to
divine or supernatural intervention. Eliza’s story of hope and survival is a triumph of the human spirit,
the result of her own hard work and resilience along with the support of her family, her therapist and her
volunteer work with NAMI Mass.
Eliza’s first brush with mental illness came in her junior year of high school. As college graduation
approached, she was increasingly anxious and out of control. She was losing chunks of time and began
to self-harm. At her most ill, she engaged in extremely irrational and dangerous behaviors. But
somehow, she maintained a smokescreen of normality. Fear of stigma forced her to keep her illness a
secret.
“Stigma was a huge barrier to accepting I had mental illness and to seeking treatment. I remember my
mom set up a session for me with the high school counselor, but I didn’t want to walk through that
office door. It wasn’t worth risking what people would think,” Eliza admits. “The gray cloud of stigma
causes conceptual and concrete obstacles to recovery. Even after I accepted my illness, I had feelings of
shame and embarrassment. So, when I would see my warning signs, it made it difficult to be honest and
ask for help even though I knew, logically, that was the only way to make things better.”
Keeping up her façade became all-encompassing and exhausting. The pressure led Eliza to attempt
suicide in 2001. When the paramedics shocked her back to life, she was angry—angry to be alive. But,
terrified of facing one more day of pretending, she embarked on a path to get better.
It’s been a long road but worthwhile road to recovery. Eliza credits her family for understanding she was
sick and trying to get her in treatment. She says two other factors are crucial to her recovery. First, she
has a longstanding relationship with a therapist in whom she has total trust. More than a decade ago, that
therapist said something to Eliza that continues to resonate.
“When I was in a particularly bad place about 10 years ago, I told my therapist I had no hope that things
would get better. She said, ‘Well, Eliza, you can borrow some of mine, because I have enough hope for
both of us.’ To this day, the idea of borrowing hope clicks for me and it really helps.”
The other crucial piece for Eliza has been DBT, or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She describes it as a
“very nuts and bolts” type of therapy. “It’s about focusing on what I can do in this moment to make
things more bearable versus past hurts and wrongs or ‘what ifs.’ It’s empowered me to move through
and beyond the limitations of my illness.”
Eliza has faced her demons and has come out the other side. “I haven’t been hospitalized in eight years,
and it’s been nine years since I’ve hurt myself. I fell in love and got married. We bought a house and
have two dogs. I’ve found joy in writing and had my first story published in 2010. I have this great life
now that I never thought was possible.”
In June 2013, Eliza began presenting her story as part of NAMI’s In Our Own Voice program. She
didn’t realize how powerful the experience would be. “NAMI filled a void by giving me opportunities to
make my life feel really meaningful. I’m getting to pay it forward, all the while coming to realize that
my suffering isn’t irrelevant or in vain. I’ve been given a tremendous gift by getting to share my
journey, working to end stigma and being able to offer others hope. I feel incredibly grateful.”
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Kathleen Considine – Plymouth Resident, Cambridge native
Kathleen Considine and her daughter, Amy, have lived with mental illness for more than 20 years. They
have used the two decades since Amy was first diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder to educate
themselves. Amy has worked hard to regain her future and well-being and to establish a career as a
Certified Peer Specialist with Vinfen. Together they’ve grown to understand the realities of treatment
and recovery, and the important supporting role that family can play.
One of their defining moments was discovering NAMI and its mission to improve the lives of all
individuals and families through programs of support, education and advocacy. At the time, Kathleen
and Amy lived in New Jersey, so their introduction to the organization came through NAMI NJ’s
Family-to-Family program.
Of that experience, Kathleen says, “It changed my life. Right then and there, I was hooked and have
been ever since. NAMI is a great organization with wonderful support and education, both for families
and people with lived experience.”
Kathleen was so “hooked” that she joined the NAMI NJ staff and coordinated two statewide
NAMIWalks events. Since moving back to Massachusetts in 2009, she and Amy have become active
with NAMI Mass.
“I am in awe of the number of volunteers all over the state who work hard to spread accurate
information about mental health, support one another in local affiliate groups and totally reject the
stigma so often associated with mental illnesses and the individuals and families affected by these
disorders,” says Kathleen. “Every NAMI Mass Walk day is beautiful and holds tremendous promise.
The Walk is a significant part of our lives, and we are grateful to be involved in it. It’s one more
expression of how our whole family has regained our footing—excuse the pun—after the onset of
mental illness.”
Priscilla DiLuzio – Bellingham resident
For her entire life, Priscilla DiLuzio has faced the stigma of mental illness. Both her mother and her
sister lived with schizophrenia. Priscilla’s earliest memory of visiting her mother in a mental hospital
was at age four. Her sister endured her first psychotic break at age 20 (in the 1960s). Both women
suffered for years battling the demons of suicide attempts, court ordered hospitalizations, voices and
hallucinations.
At age 13, Priscilla’s father died, and the primary care-giving responsibilities fell to her. At that time,
she had very few coping mechanisms, and the stigma was overwhelming, so much so, Priscilla says, that
“the isolation of both those dealing with the illness and those offering support went to the core of your
being.” She admits she rarely, if ever, felt hope.
“It was not until I experienced NAMI’s Family-to-Family training that I understood just how great a
challenge each and every day can be for those who live with a mental illness. I also recognized that I
was not alone, that the isolation and the shame that I felt was unwarranted and that other people shared
my experiences.”
Priscilla credits NAMI with the fact that, before both her mother and sister died, she was able to tell
them how much she loved and admired them. She says this is a “gift that cannot be measured.” She has
participated in every NAMIWalks Massachusetts fundraiser since the first year. Her team has grown
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exponentially over the years from just herself and her two children to include high school friends,
extended family, coworkers and neighbors.
Of the Walk, Priscilla says, “It gives me hope for the future of those with a mental illness, something I
didn’t have for the first 50 years of my life. More and more people are talking about it, and that is a good
thing. Each successive year I shed one more ounce of embarrassment, shame and isolation.”
Mike Stier – Belmont resident
Mike Stier’s parents have been NAMI Mass members for about seven years and encouraged Mike to get
involved with the organization. He has always battled depression and, beginning in his 20s, bipolar
disorder. While he still struggles at times, he’s come a long way.
“I have a terrific treatment team, fantastically supportive family and a great living situation. I cannot
emphasize enough what a huge role my parents have played in my recovery and continuing well-being.
My focus now is on solidifying the vocational piece.”
In 2011, Mike began volunteering in the NAMI Mass state headquarters office in Woburn. He worked
on research and outreach projects to help boost Walk numbers and membership. Working for NAMI
Mass helped Mike to gain confidence and network his way into a job through the Potter Place
“clubhouse” based in Waltham, MA (a subsidiary of the Edinburg Center in Lexington, MA). Mike
credits NAMI Mass with giving him the self-assurance and connections he needed to get on his current
career path, saying he is especially indebted to Executive Director Laurie Martinelli for personally
arranging networking interviews for him.
Potter Place’s Transitional Employment (TE) placements are designed to help people with mental health
issues get back to work. Secured as a temporary job for an individual to work for six to nine months, the
staff work closely with the club member and the employer, providing ongoing training, support and
supervision. The goal is to build the individual’s skills and self-assurance on their way to more
independent and permanent employment. Through this program, Mike has been working in a library,
and the experience has been life changing.
“My self-esteem was at an all-time low and I honestly doubted whether I would be able to keep and hold
any paid job. This TE made all the difference in the world. I am feeling as confident about this job as I
have ever been in any job. I have more confidence in my prospects for future employment. I have strong
references for whenever I might need them. And I have tremendous gratitude for the program which
made this all possible.”
Of the NAMI Mass Walk, Mike says, “It’s a really fun event, particularly if we get good weather. I
enjoy the fundraising aspect and the amazing feeling of being among thousands of people like me with
similar stories and struggles.”
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Additional Person to Interview:
Laurie Martinelli, NAMI Mass Executive Director
Since June 2007, Laurie Martinelli has served as Executive Director of NAMI Mass. Under her
leadership, the organization’s education and support programs have seen tremendous growth. For
example, in the past year alone, the organization’s In Our Own Voice program—which addresses stigma
and raises awareness at a community level—nearly doubled, growing from 124 presentations statewide
to 220 and reaching 1,800 more people. In 2014, the NAMI Mass Criminal Justice Diversion Project
saw more than 750 new recruits and veteran officers receive the new mental health training programs
developed by the Project and its key partners.
“People living with mental illness are a vulnerable population that all too often faces prejudice while
struggling to surmount not just their illness, but the many obstacles to treatment. The stigma and
discrimination they face is mind boggling,” says Martinelli. “I believe this cause is the next civil rights
issue, and it’s a battle I will continue to fight.”
Laurie currently oversees a full-time staff of eight and a part-time staff of seven, in addition to
coordinating efforts with five external consultants.
Quotes from Prominent NAMI Mass Supporters
Martha Coakley, Former Massachusetts Attorney General; brother suffered from bipolar
disorder
“How do we help people who struggle with mental illness—neurobiological conditions that disrupt
thinking, emotions and behavior? The first step is to end the stigma associated with it. Mental illness is
all too frequently viewed as less ‘valid’ than physical illness, making the individuals afflicted by it feel
that they are less legitimate patients. This stigma prevents people from seeking treatment and, all too
often, prevents families from acknowledging the issue in the first place.
“Our brother grappled with mental illness throughout his life, and our family struggled with how to help
him. There is no reason anyone in our Commonwealth, or the people who love them, should suffer alone
any longer.”
(Excerpted from 11/11/12 Boston Herald Op-Ed written by Martha Coakley and her sister, Mary Coakley-Welch.)
Michael Dukakis, former Governor of Massachusetts; wife suffers from severe depression
“This is a biological illness. Rich families, poor families, middle class families are all affected by this.
NAMI is one of those groups that’s out there working hard for these folks. The important thing is for
people to understand that they’re not alone, that a lot of folks including the Kitty Dukakises of this
world have had the same problem and, in the vast majority of cases, it’s treatable. And people can live
good and solid and productive lives if they get the help they need.”
Patrick Kennedy, former Congressman; sponsored Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act;
has struggled with mental illness and addiction
“I love NAMI. I love every organization that tries to advance the cause of people who are suffering from
mental illness. ... These are Americans of all color, creed, gender, religion, and ethnicity...they have one
thing in common: they’re being marginalized because their illness occurs in the brain as opposed to any
other organ in the body. That doesn’t make any sense, and we have to change it. NAMI works on
changing it, and I love NAMI for that.”
(See and hear more of Kennedy’s powerful testimonial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__2Y_rF0MEU)
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NAMI Mass Programs & Services
Family-to-Family (F2F) is a free 12-week course for family and caregivers of adults with serious
mental illness. Trained volunteers who are family members and caregivers of individuals with mental
illness teach the course, which focuses on the emotional responses to the trauma of mental illness. Many
of those who attend the course describe it as a life-changing experience that reduces stress while
increasing empowerment, knowledge and problem-solving skills.
“I learned to let go of my anger and years of confusion and disappointment, determined to step out of the
shadows of fear, blame and shame ... armed with courage, compassion and knowledge, I see the future with new
hope.” *
NAMI Family Support Group Program runs free ongoing meetings for family members and
caregivers of individuals with mental illness. Participants are urged to speak frankly and support one
another. Trained volunteers facilitate the meetings and encourage active participation.
NAMI Basics focuses specifically on the parents and primary caregivers of children and adolescents
living with mental illness. The free, six-session course is taught by trained instructors and imparts
knowledge and skills that help parents and caregivers better understand and cope with their children’s
behavioral and emotional issues.
“The course is inclusive of almost all aspects of family and child resources. I could have spent a lifetime getting
all this information on my own. I feel supported, strong and ready to go forward.” *
NAMI Connection is a free, peer-run recovery support group program for people living with mental
illness. Individuals learn from each other’s experiences, share coping strategies and offer one another
encouragement and understanding.
In Our Own Voice is an hour-long, free and unique public education presentation that offers insight
into the hope and recovery possible for people with mental illness. Presented by trained individuals who
are themselves living with mental illness, the goal is to address stigma and improve understanding in
any given community.
“The presentation was what convinced me that I needed help and I could not do this alone ... With the proper
treatment and optimism I have gained my life back and I know that a balance is important in my life. I have
learned coping skills and have big dreams for my future.” *
NAMI Mass Criminal Justice Diversion Project (CJDP) focuses on preventing the unnecessary
arrest, detention and incarceration of persons with mental illness by collaborating with local law
enforcement, behavioral health providers and other community stakeholders. This collaboration includes
the development of a new mental health curriculum now implemented in police academies statewide.
*
each quote above is from an individual who attended the corresponding program
FY 2014 Program Numbers
• Family-to-Family: 30 classes statewide; more than 600 families trained
• NAMI Family Support Group Program: 42 groups statewide, including three conducted in Spanish
• NAMI Basics: 9 programs statewide
• NAMI Connection: 17 groups held regularly statewide; 4,000 people reached
• In Our Own Voice: 220 presentations statewide; more than 4,056 people reached
• Criminal Justice Diversion Project: 800 police recruits and more than 1,000 municipal officers
received new mental health training
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Mental Illness Facts & Figures
•
1 in 5 adults—43.8 million ages 18 or older—experiences a diagnosable mental health disorder each
year.
•
1 in 17 adults—over 13 million individuals—lives with a serious mental illness, such as
schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder.
•
20% of American youth ages 13 to 18 experience severe mental disorders in a given year. For ages 8
to 15, the estimate is 13%.
•
More than 50% of state prisoners, 40% of federal prisoners and 60% of local jail prisoners have
mental health issues.
•
70% of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20%
live with a serious mental illness.
•
One-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14; three-quarters by age 24. Despite
effective treatment, there are long delays—sometimes decades between the first appearance of
symptoms and when people get help.
•
Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year.
•
Mood disorders such as depression are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S.
for both youth and adults ages 18 to 44.
•
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. (more common than homicide) and the third
leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24 years.
•
More than 90% percent of those who die by suicide had one or more mental disorders.
•
Although military members comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, veterans represent
20% of suicides nationally. Each day, about 22 veterans die from suicide.
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