With this week being Mental Health Week in Canada, how appropriate Dr. Patrick X. Smith be awarded the Carol Mueller Mental Health Champion award at the May 4, 2023 CMHA Wake Up, Speak Up event. The guest speaker of this event was Jody Wilson-Raybould.
Carol Mueller was born and educated in Windsor. She was the Executive Director of Alive! Canada and worked tirelessly to provide education about suicide prevention.
Dr. Smith and his family after experiencing some mental health tragedies within their family, decided to create a committee (Stigma Enigma) to increase awareness and community involvement in dealing with mental illness. This committee of volunteers provides mental health education and outreach to youth. Their mission is to reduce the stigma that inhibits many with mental health issues from seeking help; bring more mental health professionals to Windsor-Essex through the Sophie Smith Scholarship (awarded to a local doctor entering psychiatry); and to critically examine the overall funding of our mental healthcare system and work to develop and implement strategies for much needed future changes
We were very happy and proud to be a part of Dr. Smith’s award presentation, surrounded by Stigma Enigma committee members, Maryvale staff, and the former Executive Director of Maryvale, Connie Martin.