WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) – It’s National Mental Health Awareness Week, and NAMI Greater Wheeling hosted their annual Prayer Service on Mental Health Awareness earlier this evening at St. Michael’s Parish.
This year’s speaker is Kelly Sellers, who serves on NAMI Greater Wheeling’s Board of Directors.
She tells us that NAMI was the place she turned to when her family needed help after her son exhibited signs of mental illness 16 years ago.
Kelly says that since then there have been many ups and downs, but she encourages people to tell their stories.
“I’m the type of person I don’t believe in focusing too long on something that you cannot change. Mental illness is something that we cannot change. What we can change is the stigma surrounding it. One way to do that is to tell our stories, and to start talking about it.”
KELLY SELLERS, Serves on the Board of Directors for NAMI Greater Wheeling
Kelly says that events like tonight’s vigil help give people a platform to share their own stories, which allows us to break the stigmas surrounding mental illness.
They help show people that they are not alone, that others are also struggling, and that we can help one another.
You can learn more about NAMI Greater Wheeling by visiting their website.
