We had the pleasure of hearing from board members and staff from the Free Clinic who talked about recognizing depression and the upcoming Frederick Michael Gibson Depression Awareness Run.

 

Karen Finmark - Race Coordinator:  The race is named after her nephew who committed suicide. She said her nephew had suffered since he was 15 years old but she didn't find out until two years ago.  The stigma of depression stops people from sharing and talking about it.

 

Dorina Timbol and Marin Kakachev - Board Member and Staff: They talked about being a voice for the youth regarding depression and other important topics, and how we are not aware of how it affects our youth today.

 

Phyllis Wilson - Free Clinic Counseling: She talked about depression and how more than 16 million suffer from depression and many suffer in silence due to the stigma associated with depression.  That's why this race, and all the talk surrounding it, is important for people to hear and understand to break down the stigma.

 

Ron Hyrchuk - Board Member: He talked about how we can get involved and donate money for this event.