Monday, September 7, 2009

NAMI Walks for the Mind of America

I wanted to post about an upcoming event that is very important to our family. It is NAMI Walks for the Mind of America, a walkathon that is being held in Des Moines at Water Works Park on October 3, 2009. NAMI stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is the nation’s largest mental health organization and is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

My family decided to form a walking team and participate in NAMI Walks this year for several reasons. My sister, Becky, passed away last November at the age of 34. She faced struggles for many years from living with a mental illness. My family and I also wanted to support other individuals and families who face similar struggles.

By getting involved in NAMI Walks we hope to honor Becky. She worked hard to understand and overcome the illness that changed her life so completely. From our own experience we know that NAMI provides help when people need it the most. All proceeds from NAMI Walks are used to fund NAMI’s very worthwhile programs.

We are excited about building awareness for this topic that is often times taboo to discuss. I know that my sister would be proud. You can find more information on my fundraising page here.

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