Category: I Am Resilient Stories

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Stories of Resilience: Isabelle Friedman

“I think it’s about trying to take it one day at a time. Figure out your challenges only for that day, and tackle those specific challenges.” I’ve always had depression and anxiety but within the space of three months, I had a breakdown, was furloughed

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Stories of Resilience: Geoff Starling

“Remember that grief has a different look, feel, and timeline for everyone. Embrace yours and confront it with compassion.” My younger brother was murdered by a motorcycle gang for fighting back when they stole property from his custom car shop.” On July 24, 2014, I

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Stories of Resilience: Freda Plucer

“After the war, Freda lived with joy – she made a pledge to herself to enjoy every single day. She took on the world with humour and kindness, and her energy was palpable.” Freda Plucer was just 17 years old when Germany invaded Poland at

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Stories of Resilience: Faye Lawand

“I didn’t know how to be not okay. I didn’t know that it was okay not to be okay. So every day was a struggle. I couldn’t get things done, and then I’d beat myself up for that. It was a scary, lonely confusing time.”

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Stories of Resilience: Eric Pimentel

“You have the power to change and at the end of the day, your life is made up of decisions.”  In my second year of university, I had just broken up with my girlfriend and I was in a really weird spot. I had learned

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Stories of Resilience: Emily Cheng

“I think doing these tiny little things and creating any sort of normalcy in a super abnormal situation really does make a big difference.” I had a patient who was medically stable but was positive for COVID-19 and admitted to the hospital. When I was

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Stories of Resilience: Diana Gold

“What happens to you happens for you.” I had surgery two years ago at the tail end of a really bad relationship after being very stressed for many years at work. I ended up in the hospital with an ulcer and had to remain there

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Stories of Resilience: Debbiesue Young

“Don’t ever stop believing that you deserve love, safety, belonging and wholeness without changing one thing about you.” I was 5 when the confusing touch started. I wasn’t supposed to like it, but I did.  “Close your eyes. Let’s play a game. It’s our secret.” 

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Stories of Resilience: Deena Nicklefork

“Grieve. Allow yourself that. But don’t let yourself stay there. Pick yourself up and move forward. You can still live a very full life.” When I was 19, I was told that I will have fibromyalgia for the rest of my life and there is

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Stories of Resilience: Daniel Burton

“In that moment, I choose to assign a productive purpose to my pain“I learned to love myself – that I am worthy and my worth is more than just my body.” Body Dysmorphia is a mental health condition where a person spends a significant amount

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