Book Launch: When Quietness Came
Join us June 5 for the launch of When Quietness Came: A Neuroscientist's Personsonal Journey With Schizophrenia by Erin Hawkes. When Quietness Came is the true story of Erin's struggles to get well and pursue her PhD after suffering a psychotic break in the final year of her undergraduate studies. Meet the author and enjoy refreshments at 7 pm, Tuesday, June 5 at the Library Square Conference Centre at the Vancouver Public Library, Alma van Dusen and Peter Kaye Room. Copies of the book will be available for sale at the launch.

Circle of Strength 2012
NSSS recently held our fourth annual Circle of Strength fundraiser luncheon, hosted by the Right Honourable Edward Schreyer, former Governor General of Canada (among his many accomplishments). Many people who attend Circle of Strength learn about the Family Support Centre for the first time, so the event has an important outreach component as well as raising funds to help us continue our work with families coping with serious mental illnesses. Thanks to the many volunteers who made the event possible, as well as our sponsor, North Shore Credit Union.

Peer Support: More Than Just a 'Nice Idea'
Peer support when dealing with mental illness - both for people with an illness and family members supporting them - is essential to recovery. You can't fully understand what someone is going through if you haven't gone through it yourself. Peer support workers can offer rare empathy because of their own experience. Participants in turn can feel emotionally safer and be more open when working with peers. We had the pleasure of hearing from two experts in the field at our last public education evening February 29: Amanda Schell, the Consumer Initiatives Support Worker and winner of the 2011 Courage to Come Back Award in the Mental Health category; and Marguerite Hardin, NSSS's support coordinator, past president and the pioneer behind the Family Support Centre.

NSSS Video on YouTube
Our special presentation November 7, 2011 featuring Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator for Canada, is on our channel on YouTube.

Fall Session of Family-to-Family Course
The Family-to-Family education course is a powerful twelve-session program for family members and close friends of people with any serious mental illness. The course will start again in September in West Vancouver and in late January or early February in Squamish. We are taking names for the next sessions. For more information or to put your name on the list for an upcoming session, please contact us at 604-926-0856. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. See the full course curriculum here.

NSSS Responds to Inadequate Draft National Strategy
The Mental Health Commission of Canada's draft strategy ignores the realities of serious mental illness, leaving the most ill out in the cold while focusing on recovery for people with mild to moderate "mental health problems." Read our letter to the Commission expressing our concerns.

VCH Review of Marek Kwapiszewski's Suicide Misses the Point
Vancouver Coastal's review of the death of Marek Kwapiszewski's death in June 2008 did not address the core problem of healthcare professionals requiring dangerousness before considering involuntary treatment. Under the Mental Health Act, a person may be treated without consent in order "to prevent the person's substantial mental or physical deterioration," which was clearly the situation in this case. See the Media Centre for the news release, background information, and media coverage.

NSSS Calls for Case Review
One year after the death of her brother, Halina Haboosheh is speaking out about the case in the hope that it will help save lives. NSSS submitted a letter to Vancouver Coastal Health Interim President and CEO Dr. David Ostrow with a detailed description of how the system failed Marek - a man who was obviously very ill and in need of treatment - and how the many attempts by his sister to get him help were brushed off. Read the full text of the letter, NSSS news release, and related news stories in the Media Centre.

Family Support Group
The NSSS Family Support Group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Family Support Centre in West Vancouver. For information and to confirm the next date call 604-926-0856. The Family Support Group provides an opportunity for those whose loved ones have a mental illness to share experiences and insights with each other. For details, see our Support group page.


If you wish to support the work of this website or the North Shore Schizophrenia Society's programs generally, you can now do so online, using the facilities of Canada Helps, the online donations agency for non-profit groups in Canada. It's the quick and easy way to help us continue to offer counselling, education and other support services. Click here to view our page on Canada Helps. If you would like to make a donation or membership payment by credit card, you may also contact the office directly at
604-926-0856 (please do not email credit card information).

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