MIAW21 - Compassion for Yourself and Others

Written by Lori Lane Murphy on October 05 2021.

Mental. Illness.

Two simple words that pack a punch. When said separately they seem easy for most to swallow, but together they can cause quite a stir.

It’s Mental Illness Awareness Week and we need one. Mental illness has been shrouded in stigma and shame for too long and it has to stop.

We Must Act Now to Stop Hate

Written by Karim Mamdani on June 10 2021.

It’s the time of year at Ontario Shores when we look back in celebration of our achievements over the past fiscal year.

The 2020/2021 year was challenging and unique as we continued to deliver safe and quality mental health amid a global pandemic. Despite many obstacles, we continued our collective work and continued to position the organization to best meet the needs of our community and the people who need us most.

As we look back with pride, it’s also critically important that we look ahead and set course for a future that is representative of all of our interests, both professionally and personally.

National Mental Health Week: Here's Why I Became an Advocate

Written by Sterling Renzoni on May 07 2021.

Hi, my name is Sterling, I am first-year chemistry and psychology joint major at Trent University. I am an established mental health advocate at my university and beyond. I am a proud member of the Patient Advisory and Recovery Committee (PARC) at Ontario Shores Center for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores).

I have always battled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. In grade 8 when I was 13 years old, I began to develop Anorexia Nervosa. This got drastically worse throughout the school year and I was eventually admitted to SickKids Hospital. This began a 4-year cycle of hospital admissions and outpatient treatment.

During my last and longest admission to SickKids in grade 12, I even applied to university while on a hospital bed. I was waitlisted for Ontario Shores during this hospital admission and admitted to Ontario Shores in February of that year. One month into my treatment at Ontario Shores, the COVID-19 pandemic struck meaning I needed to go home and receive virtual treatment.