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What you see at first glance never tells the whole story.
Years of strain. Relationships fractured. Identity slipping away.
When care works, the picture changes. People begin to reclaim parts of who they are — reconnecting, reintegrating, rebuilding, rediscovering what once felt out of reach.
When I found The Royal, I was fighting for my survival. They diagnosed me with what’s called difficult-to-treat depression. This explains why nothing worked. Ever. Why I could do one thing one day and achieve results, but it wouldn’t work the next.
The career I loved had vanished. My identity: the person I knew I was and had been so proud of, was dead. I was consumed with dealing with my symptoms. I couldn’t feel the way I used to. I couldn’t leave my home, let alone be the father I wanted to be or the husband my wife deserved. I might as well not have come home at all, because I had become a burden to my wife and children.
I spent entire days-on-end just lying in bed. It’s not that I didn’t wanna get up and get stuff done, it’s that I couldn’t. It’s impossible to explain to someone what that feels like unless you’ve been through it. My whole world consisted of a messy room and a bottomless jar of peanut butter.
Every day I felt like I was pulling myself through mud. I had permanent anxiety tummy. I had no routine. I was so tired I couldn’t put it into words. I started missing a lot of school in grade 10. Right before grade 11 started I fainted. For the first time ever. I felt like I was actually dying. That was my first panic attack.
People in Canada will experience mental illness or addiction in their lifetime.
People are affected by mental illness worldwide. It's the leading cause of disability.
People in Canada die by suicide every day.
People can’t wait decades for new discoveries to improve care. They need them today.
The Lives Reclaimed campaign aims to raise $75 million to bring that progress closer to the people who need it—so they can reclaim who they were meant to be.
Every gift to the Lives Reclaimed campaign helps The Royal improve:
Right now, people in crisis are often pushed into emergency departments that aren’t designed to care for mental illness or addiction. Too many wait, leave without help, or don’t know where to turn.
We are improving access to care that is timely, appropriate, and designed around people’s needs—so individuals and families can get the right support, at the right time.
For too many people, care doesn’t lead to meaningful improvement.
We are improving outcomes by advancing more personalized and effective treatments, and by moving research into care faster—so more people can receive care that works for them.
Be part of 15,000 donations needed to unlock a $1 million donation from Waverley House Foundation. Make your donation count today or become a monthly donor and contribute to the challenge all year long.
/ 15,000
Lives Reclaimed is led by a dedicated group of leaders committed to shifting the future of care for mental illness and addiction.
Melissa Kruyne
Yann Robard
The Right Honorable David Johnston
Sharon Johnston
Daniel Alfredsson
Dr. Raj Bhatla
Pierre Dufresne
Jennifer Francis
Larry Kelly
Brad McAninch
Victor Pellegrino
Mark Taggart
Amy Tomlinson
Johannes Ziebarth
Richard Getz
Help more people reclaim their lives from mental illness and addiction. Donate today and be one of 15,000 gifts needed to unlock a generous $1 million donation.
Stay connected to Lives Reclaimed with updates, stories, and campaign milestones.
1145 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4
(613) 722-6521
1141 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4
(613) 722-6521
1804 Highway 2 E, P.O. Box 1050,
Brockville, ON K6V 5W7
(613) 345-1461
2121 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K2A 1H2
(613) 722-6521
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