Spreading hope through creativity, community & conversation. Making mental health visible, relatable & real for all in Aotearoa.

Good morning Aotearoa ,

This is not only a story but also an inspiration to all around Aotearoa and others who have been through struggles in life

My name is Shannon and I am standing here today to promote mental health and the affects it has on people’s daily life , I am not a professional but I am someone who has been through depths in life that nobody should ever have to experience . In 2009 I said goodbye to my 5 month old son who suddenly passed away to S.I.D.S For those who don’t know what that means it’s:

(sudden infant death syndrome)

Now for any parent this is the hardest thing to do having to bury your own child.

I reached out and got the help I needed to overcome this and ended up coming out on top.

Years went by I worked on my mental health and working full time kept me on my feet and a positive outlook.

2014 came around and I received a phonecall early hours from my father in Australia , he said Shan you need to fly home because your mother has passed away, this broke me to the core , moving forward funeral and processing things saying goodbye to my bestfriend and my mum .

Looking back today it left me with anxiety , depression and complex PTSD, years of therapy and counselling to come out stronger .

I am here today to help those who have been through the struggles in life whether you need a person to talk to or to cry to I will always stand here for whoever.

I want people to feel heard and seen to know that it’s okay to not be okay and the door is always open