Personal Stories
Our family created The Maddie Fund within weeks of our daughter’s death.
Depression and anxiety disorders in teenagers and young adults are so prevalent and severe that the World Health Organization created a Mental Health International College Student Initiative to collect data and implement web-based interventions. The US data is troubling, with the rate of major depressive disorder in teens at 13 percent overall and at a shocking 36.1 percent among adolescent girls. Almost 32 percent of teens experience one of the anxiety disorders, again with higher prevalence among girls. A recent sample of college-age people revealed that now over 40 percent were experiencing depression or anxiety. Clearly, the isolation and disruption caused by COVID-19 will only exacerbate these mental health issues.
As many either have or know someone who is suffering from a mental illness, we wanted to offer the chance for those to share their stories. Below are some highlighted pieces of art, personal stories, and more. Although everyone's situation is unique, we are all in this together. (source)
If you would like to contribute, please send us your submission through our Contact Us form
Maddie's Story
In the summer of 2018, Maddie posted about her struggles with bipolar disorder on Facebook as a means of both informing her friends and apologizing for her erratic/sometimes destructive behavior. Here is her message
Milo the Barn Cat
This painting was done by Maddie in 2017. It features Milo the Barn cat at her parent's Bed and Breakfast Inn, Hill Farm Inn. Maddie enjoyed spending time at the Inn and being with nature and the animals