MMMH Walk Across Iowa for Mental Health Awareness

My name is Karen, and I'm a mom on a mission for mental health awareness. I'm a mother of two young adult sons and wife to a husband, all of whom struggle with forms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD and ADHD. Our journey of mental health struggles has spanned almost 30 years, and I have shared our story on my Facebook blog page.

MMMH Walk Across Iowa

In October 2021, one of my sons had a setback. That night an idea was born. And on June 9th I will begin my second hike across the state of Iowa in the name of mental health awareness and share my family's story in the hopes of bringing others out of the darkness. We have to work on normalizing the discussion of anxiety and depression to end the stigma and feelings of shame surrounding it. It's real and an illness like any other. I believe that the more we share our stories, the more we talk about it, the more those who struggle will feel safe enough to speak up. The more others won't feel so alone in their fight.

I have created this fundraiser to coincide with my walk across the state. Your donations will go toward not-profit organizations that focus on helping people in crisis, sharing important resources, advocating for mental health awareness, and giving those who struggle a voice. They all have websites, so check them out for more information on what they are all about.

https://builtbycommunity.org/

https://www.imgladyoustayedproject.org/

https://thisismybrave.org/

https://foundation2.org/

I'm just a mom, not a recognized non-profit, so your donations may not be tax-deductible unless you donate directly to the organization. However, if contributions exceed my goal, I would like to add other organizations to that list!

Thanks for considering and being a part of my family's journey! Together we can end the stigma! Warriors strong!