We are excited to partner with Stories for Caregivers to bring you a series of their videos dedicated to caregivers. Here is a summary of their project.
Developed by The Coup Company with the participation of TELUS Fund, Stories For Caregivers is an initiative designed to generate awareness about caregiving through the creation of original web series that showcase the inspiring work of caregivers across Canada.
In 2017, TELUS Fund launched the first Special Call for Web Series to surface stories with the potential to positively impact individuals caring for loved ones. Since then the Fund has helped finance twenty original pilot episodes and eight original web series: How We Die, Culture of Caring, Letters from Caregivers, Growing Together with Jann Arden, Cypher, Caring For Those Who Care, Being There, and House Call With Dr. Yvette Lu.
These touching series have been released annually to the public through the Stories For Caregivers initiative, with marketing and promotional support provided by TELUS Fund. In that time they have amassed over 9 MILLION views and have been featured on national television, radio, and other mainstream news media across the country.
Stories For Caregivers is currently the largest online community of caregivers in Canada and remains committed to sharing stories that inspire caregivers and generating awareness of the global issue of caregiving.
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Here is video #1: Better
Joëlle is a journalist and mental health advocate. She also lives with bipolar disorder. Her first mental health episode hit her at the age of 27 when she had returned from completing a master’s degree in journalism abroad. On the cusp of her future and a successful career, she suddenly found her mind oscillating between periods of deep depression followed by hyperactive mania that alienated her friends and family.
In this episode, Joëlle’s closest caregivers–her divorced parents and younger brother–reflect on the early days of her illness. How they struggled to understand what was happening to their child and sibling. How they overextended themselves to care for her. And ultimately, how they learned to accept help for themselves and reimagine a future that is wildly different from the one they had previously imagined.
Narrated by Joëlle and punctuated by insights from AMI Quebec Executive Director (and Order of Canada recipient) Dr. Ella Amir, Better paints a vivid picture of the real impact mental health has on families in Canada.
