"Mackenzie Health supported me when I needed it most. I’m grateful to give back and help others on their journey."
Laurie was just 14 years old when she first turned to Mackenzie Health — then known as York Central Hospital — for support with anxiety. It was 1992, and mental health care for youth looked very different than it does today.
“It was very hard for me to be there,” she shares. “I had all these social workers and mental health care professionals trying to help me, but I wasn’t open to being helped at that age.”
Laurie spent three years in and out of treatment, navigating the ups and downs of adolescence with anxiety. Looking back now, she sees how those experiences shaped her journey.
“I really believe that care saved my life,” she now says.
As the years passed, Laurie built a life filled with love and purpose — becoming a wife, mother to three daughters, and a respected businesswoman in her community. But her mental health journey didn’t end there. When her eldest daughter began struggling with anxiety, life came full circle. She found care and compassion at the same hospital that once cared for her mother.
This time, everything felt different. Mackenzie Health had evolved. Today, its two-hospital network offers a robust range of mental health programs and services — from inpatient care to outpatient support through the Stepping Stones Mental Health Day Hospital. Watching her daughter receive the care she once needed sparked something in Laurie. She wanted to give back.
“All I want to do is help people. That’s what fills my bucket these days,” Laurie says through tears. “Because I went through it so long ago, and my daughter is going through it now. I want to pay it forward and keep improving the resources available.”
Laurie made a gift to Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital’s Mental Health Program, a gesture rooted in gratitude, love and a deep understanding of what compassionate care can mean during our most vulnerable moments.
Her story is a powerful reminder that healing is a journey, and that generosity has the power to shape brighter futures for the next generation.
Help us shine a light on mental health — donate today.