2010 Inspiration Award Winners
Heart Award: Catherine Priske
Hope Award: Dr. Sidney H. Kennedy
Hero Award: Shelagh Rogers
Heart Award: Catherine Priske
An award created to honour an individual who has provided exceptional support in a caring relationship. This individual has put their heart into supporting and inspiring
a loved one, friend, or co-worker who suffers from a mood
disorder.
The 2010 Heart Inspiration Award is sponsored
by AstraZeneca.
Catherine Elaine Priske has been thrown many curve balls in life. Her own mother
died when Catherine was in her early twenties, leaving Catherine to parent her two
younger siblings. By her early thirties, she was married with three children of her
own. Catherine's second child, David, was born with multiple mental and physical disabilities
and she and her husband were faced with the difficult decision to place David in a group
home. Committed to carrying on and raising her two daughters Heather and Leslie at home,
it all went reasonably well despite the trials of having two teenage girls.
When Leslie was 26 and living in Vancouver, Catherine received a desperate phone call
from one of Leslie's friends. Leslie was doing a lot of drugs and her life was spinning out of
control. Catherine immediately jumped on a plane with her daughter Heather and headed
to Vancouver. When they finally found her, Leslie was 40 lbs lighter and in the midst of a full
blown manic episode.
No stranger to challenges, Catherine faced this one with the passion and commitment of a
loving parent. She was ready to get Leslie the help she needed before, during and after her
diagnosis. She gathered as much information as she could find about bipolar disorder; she
was there to take Leslie out on a day pass from the psychiatric ward, and she gave her the
money she needed to stay off the streets while she recovered.
Back home in Toronto with Leslie having been diagnosed and successfully treated for
bipolar disorder, Catherine extended her mission to helping others who were/are facing the
challenges that she had faced. Whether parent, child, concerned co-worker, or a frightened,
newly diagnosed individual, Catherine has words of encouragement, empathy and hope for
them all.
As a telephone support volunteer at MDAO, Catherine shares her heart with every caller. Catherine provided the inspiration for Leslie to speak out about her experiences, and she is an inspiration to us all.
Hope Award: Dr. Sidney H. Kennedy
An award created to honour an individual who has made
an outstanding contribution to mood disorders in the
areas of research, diagnosis, or treatment. This individual
uses their expertise to bring hope and inspiration to those
who suffer from mood disorders.
The 2010 Hope Inspiration Award is sponsored by Lilly.
Dr. Sidney Kennedy is an outstanding clinician, a brilliant scientist and an innovative
researcher. As the Psychiatrist-in-Chief at University Health Network, he has
instituted extensive research programs into mood disorders and made significant
advancements in the treatment of bipolar disorder and depression.
Dr. Sid Kennedy is truly the face of mood disorders learning, research and innovation in
Canada and is recognized as a leader in his field throughout the world. He is the man behind
such innovations as neuro-imaging, neuro-endocrinology, genetics in depression and
deep brain stimulation.
As if it weren't enough that as a scientist he has made a huge impact on so many lives, Dr.
Sid Kennedy is also an extraordinary psychiatrist one on one. He is devoted to even the
most difficult to treat patients, and is constantly pushing the boundaries of what treatments
are available to them. He pushes himself and everyone around him to do more, find
new ways, new treatments, and ultimately new hope for everyone who experiences mood
disorders.
While working so hard as a scientist and a psychiatrist, he remains just the type of physician every patient dreams of: kind, generous, down to earth and truly caring. Dr. Sid Kennedy's approach is grounded in his personal mission... to bring hope to those who have lost it. He brings that hope and inspiration to all who meet him, and is an inspiration to us all.
Hero Award: Shelagh Rogers
An award created to honour a high profile individual who
has made their own journey to recovery from a mood
disorder and who publicly supports and advocates for
those who suffer the pain of mood disorders. This individual
uses their high profile and celebrity to battle stigma and
inspire others.
The 2010 Hero Inspiration Award is sponsored by
Shepell•fgi
Best known for her big laugh and ability to connect with people from all walks of life,
the owner of Canada's best known "sunny" voice - Shelagh Rogers - suffers from
depression.
On CBC Radio, Shelagh has been the deputy host of Morningside, the host of This Morning
and Sounds Like Canada, and currently hosts The Next Chapter.
It often comes as a shock to people that Shelagh Rogers battles depression. She's a good example of "what you see is not always what you get".
Shelagh has been aware of her depression for decades, although she didn't receive a
proper diagnosis until 2006. It started when she passed out cold one day at work, bashing
her head against a desk. A diagnosis of staggeringly high blood pressure, and some huge
disappointments at work were triggers - Shelagh slid into a deep depression.
Shelagh took five months off work, and spent weeks holed up in a room staring at the
purple walls. She didn't care if she brushed her teeth, bathed or washed her hair, and for a
time, even completely lost her voice.
Gradually, antidepressant medication and three-times-a-week therapy pulled her out of
the depression and she was able to go back to work. She is now vigilant about the warning
signs for depression and makes sure to take care of herself physically and mentally.
She speaks out about depression in the hopes that her story will help people understand depression and to give hope to others who are living with mood disorders. She has worked with the Mental Health Commission of Canada and other governmental bodies as an advocate for mental health.
Shelagh Rogers and the courage to tell her story as a public figure is an inspiration to all Canadians.