A young caregiver is a child, teen or young adult who supports a family member for a variety of reasons. It could be a parent, sibling or grandparent. They may have a chronic illness like cancer, diabetes, dementia or Multiple Sclerosis. They may have an intellectual disability like Autism or Down Syndrome. They may have a physical disability from a brain injury or workplace accident. They may have mental health challenges like depression, anxiety or PTSD. They may have addictions to drugs or alcohol. Or they may have a variety of socio-economic factors like being a new family to the country and only the child speaks English or having a single parent at home.

Bodily autonomy continues to face unprecedented challenges, even in the 21st century. Globally, gender affirming care has been politicized to justify restricting or limiting access to – for many – life saving care. As anti-trans groups continue to organize locally and globally, we stand in support of our local Two-Spirit, transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse communities. The Greater Hamilton Health Network (GHHN) recognizes the right to receive gender-affirming care for all in our catchment area and beyond.

CMHA National announces the Mental Health Week theme each year. The theme this year was #MyStory, in recognition that everyone has a story to tell about mental health. Your Story may be about your own personal experience, or how mental illness
has touched your life through the experience of a loved one, someone you care for, or a work experience. Story telling is powerful, it’s healing, and it opens the door to being vulnerable and to being validated. It allows us to learn from each others’
experiences and build human connection. Mental Health Week (May 1-7) recognized that collectively and individually we all have multiple layers and stories that make us who we are.