A carer’s story

It took many years for our son to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and get the correct medication. Even after his health improved, there was nowhere for us to turn too, to help him have a life. He had no friends and no future to look forward to. 

When the two Mental Health forums were held in Wagga in 2002, we were very excited. Dr Ray King and Christine Huntsdale put the idea to the people of Wagga to try to get government funding to set up a mental health rehabilitation centre. At one of the forums, journalist Anne Deveson was a speaker. Her son had schizophrenia and had committed suicide. She said “there has got to be more for people with a mental illness than just taking their medication’’. It was as if the words had come out of my mouth. It was what I had always thought.

When Sunflower House opened, it was like a dream come true for our son and all our family. I have seen men and women thrive, just because they have  a purpose in life and a reason to get up in the morning. Sunflower House is the reason for this improvement in their lives. They are always made to feel welcome by the staff and other members.

Mental illness affects the whole family, not just the person with the illness. We saw our son become the man he was meant to be, not only because he is on medication, but because he has friends and a life worth living. 

The people who helped establish Sunflower House and the staff who help the members run it now, have helped to change many lives for the better.