Cat's Story
Before I became pregnant, I was in a horrible place. My mental health was in absolute shambles. I was grappling with an eating disorder. I didn’t care about anything or anyone – not even myself.
If I’m being honest, I wasn’t planning on making it to my 18th birthday…
But then I found out that I was pregnant. I was only 15 years old.
My parents were in shock when they found out, but over time they both accepted my pregnancy and told me that they were going to support me no matter what decision I made.
It was a pivotal point in my life. I had so many choices in front of me.
I could have terminated my pregnancy and continued living the reckless life that I was. I could have given birth and put my son up for adoption. Or I could give birth to my son and work hard to become the mom that I am today…
When I made the decision to have my son and start this journey of learning how to navigate being a teenage mom, I was attending a public high school at the time and I felt completely lost. I thought that I was going to have to drop out of school to care for my baby.
But my guidance counsellor told me that I wouldn’t have to. He introduced me to Youville Centre and explained that Youville and the incredible staff would support me and my baby-to-be much more than a regular school could.
And he was right.
I gave birth to my son, Seth, shortly after my 16th birthday. Today, Seth is 15 months old and he’s got a BIG personality. He’s very bubbly and just loves meeting new people.
When I think about how far I’ve come and the fulfilling and happy life that I’m creating for Seth, I can’t help but think about where our lives would be without the support of Youville. We have a bright future now. And that is thanks to the kindness of people like you who care.
That’s why I’m writing this letter. Youville Centre not only changed my life, but it has changed my son’s life too. Without the generous support from people like you, Youville wouldn’t exist. And I can’t even begin to imagine what our lives would be without it.
Will you give a special Christmas gift to Youville Centre today, to help other young moms and their babies who are struggling right now, just like I was before coming to Youville? Your gift today will help young moms receive the support and resources they need to build a better life for two generations.
Thanks to Youville, I’m fully supported. I’m not forced to choose between working to support my child and getting my high school education.
I can actually have both. My hopes and dreams are within reach.
My very first day that I arrived at Youville, I was so nervous. I didn’t know where my class was, and I remember walking up the stairs and I slunk down on the stairwell and began to cry.
I was terrified. I was afraid that the other moms at the school weren’t going to like me, that no one was going to like me.
It was the realization that I had left my old life – including all of my friends – behind and here was this new and entirely unknown life that was being placed in front of me to navigate.
The head teacher, Kaethe, found me crouched in the stairwell and she brought me to my class and to my teacher Tara, who offered me breakfast and befriended me.
Before Youville, I didn’t have the drive to be better, to want more. This is the first time in my life that I’ve done anything for myself. It’s the first time I’ve had real aspirations and dreams. The staff have taught me that anything is possible.
My goal is to attend post-secondary school once I finish my high school credits and hopefully I will get my master’s degree and become a psychotherapist. So that one day, I can maybe make a difference in other people’s lives, just like the staff at Youville have done for me.
But without people like you, none of this would be possible. Donors to Youville are quite literally changing the lives of two generations.
There’s no way to describe how much it means to me and the other moms to have a place to go like Youville Centre.
Having the support of my counsellors at Youville has been an absolute game-changer for me. I can’t stress enough how much it means to me to have access to reliable mental health support on a regular basis. I’ve struggled with mental illness as far back as I can remember, but this is the first time in my life where I feel like I finally have the skills to cope with the difficult things that arise in life.
But before Youville, this wasn’t the case…
After Seth was born, when he was around one month old, I nearly took my own life.
I remember this one night in particular. I had been struggling with suicide ideation. I knew that Seth would be well taken care of by my family if I passed away. I was just about to write some goodbye letters to the people that I cared about and I was ready to go through with it. I was ready to take my own life. I was done.
Then, I looked down at Seth and he was sound asleep in his little bassinet and I started to cry. Something in me clicked and I knew in that moment I couldn’t leave him – I wasn’t going to do that to him.
As much as he needed me, I needed him.
That night, I decided that if I wanted my son to be happy and grow up to be a well-rounded human, I needed him to have a mother who could make better decisions in life – not only for him, but for myself too. I wanted my son to grow up watching me work hard and put myself through school.
Without the support of Youville and the resources they provide me with, I know that I would be struggling. I wouldn’t have the mental health support that I do, the teachers helping me with my classes daily, exceptional childcare for Seth and a community of other young moms who are always there for each other.
I feel like sometimes there’s an unspoken understanding with the moms. When we notice that one of the moms looks tired because their baby has been teething or having issues with sleep, we’ll bring her a coffee or we’ll push her stroller on our walks. It really is a sense of community. When our children’s fathers aren’t in the picture – as is my case – or if we don’t have a solid support system with our families, we become each other’s ‘someone’ to rely on, so none of us ever feel alone.
Now that I know what it means to genuinely love another human, I would truly do anything for my son. There’s nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do for him. Having Seth has changed me a lot as a person.
I’m not where I need to be just yet, but thanks to people like you and Youville, I’m on the right path and I know our journey will be a happy one.
For the first time in a long time, I’m really looking forward to the holidays this year. Seth is at the perfect age to watch the magic and excitement of the holiday season through his little eyes. I’m sure he’ll rip into his gifts on Christmas morning and I can’t wait to experience that with him!
My family and I don’t really have any set holiday traditions other than waking up to open gifts and spending quality time together on Christmas Day. But I think this year, I’d like to start new traditions with Seth – maybe I’ll buy him a little ornament every year for the Christmas tree, or I’ll start a picture album with pictures of him every Christmas morning.
I have so much to be grateful for and to live for now. And I want to thank people like you for helping Youville be a place of solace and hope.
I want you to know that when you donate to Youville, you’re the difference between a mom being able to feed her child and not. You’re the reason she can leave that abusive relationship. Your gift is enabling her to graduate high school.
Simply put, when you give to Youville, you are the person who is holding out your hand, offering support to a young mom in need.
Thank you for your compassion and for giving me and my son a better life.
Cat,
Youville Centre client and mom to Seth (15 months)
P.S. Please consider a special Christmas donation today to help young moms like me complete their high school education and receive the mental health and parenting support they need to reach their full potential in life. Please remember that when you give to Youville, you’re helping two generations. Happy Holidays!
P.S. This is your last chance to give in 2021 and make a meaningful impact in the lives of so many young moms and their babies right here in Ottawa. All donations made by December 31st qualify for a 2021 tax receipt – please give as generously as you can!
If you would like to support us with a financial donation, please visit our Canada Helps page here