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A large gathering was on hand at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, to kick off mental health awareness week Monday.
Published May 04, 2026 • 2 minute read
Mental health awareness week kicked off Monday at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre. From left are Coun. Amy Finn, Mayor Darrin Canniff, Allie Matthews, Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent operations manager, Katherine Larson, program assistant, and Coun. Alysson Storey. (Trevor Terfloth/The Daily News)Article content
A large gathering was on hand at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, to kick off mental health awareness week Monday.
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Advocates hope increased awareness will continue in the community throughout the year.
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Approximately 75 people were in attendance for Monday’s flag-raising, including representatives from the Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent, first responders, community service workers, the mayor and several councillors.
Allie Matthews, the network’s operations manager, said the overall impact of mental health isn’t experienced in isolation.
“It connects all of us. Our families, our workplaces, our communities,” she said. “And it reminds us that support, understanding and compassion are stronger when they are shared.”
Matthews believes a little kindness and understanding can make a real difference in someone’s life.
She said this helps someone feel valued and less alone.
“We also believe that a diagnosis is just the beginning, not the end,” she said.
Despite positive changes during the years, there are still barriers and stigmas to overcome for those facing mental health challenges.
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However, Matthews said the flag-raising is more than symbolic, as it also signifies hope.
“It represents our shared commitment to creating a community where caring for your mental health is recognized as an essential part of well-being,” she said.
“It is also a reminder to honour those who have lost their battle to mental illness, and those who work hard every day to be well.”
Katherine Larson, a program assistant for the network, told her story of mental health recovery, starting from when she was a young student.
Involved in music, theatre and sports, while making new friends, she still found herself the target of bullies.
“It changed the way I thought about myself, shook my self-esteem, and made me question my worth,” she said. “I became paranoid that people were talking about me, laughing at me, or out to get me.”
That time also marked the start of an eating disorder, as well as partying and drinking, often finding herself in unsafe situations.
While she was in post-secondary school, she became a single mother. Through strength and determination she graduated, but also suffered abuse later on.
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“Working on my mental health became a full-time job on its own. One that required courage, honesty and a willingness to rebuild my life piece by piece,” Larson said.
She discussed hearing about Hope House, which the network operates, calling it the “hidden gem” she didn’t know she needed.
Through various programs, the women’s group and peer support, she began to grow again.
Larson eventually was asked to help lead the group and was later hired on staff.
“Each day, I am grateful for the person who first told me about Hope House, and for the gift this place has been in my life,” she said.
For more information, visit the Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent on social media.
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