This week in the news has been like any other lately, really. Fraught with economic doom, war, genocides, hate. More utterances from people in power opening the ugly pit we were trying to bury, filled with shameful ghosts of our smaller, stupid, blind and hateful minds from our human history -now frighteningly our present state of existence.

This week also saw the token commemorations to those with the incredible ability to touch us all to our core with David Bowie’s and Elvis’s Birthday on January 8th. Elvis’s Birthday in particular is known to my family, being the same day and month my brother David was born, and the subject of many a family ribbing and the reason we sometimes called David, “Tiny E” (you would understand, a little, if you ever saw the SNL skit).

It has been just over two months since our David died. I remember as a 12 year old girl 34 years ago, the miracle of his birth and the wonderment of welcoming this new sparkling personality to be forever in our lives. Few things touch us like the magic of the true love that happens at birth. Birthdays should be synonymous with commemoration. Prior to Monday of this week, faced with David’s first birthday since his death, I really tried to mentally prepare for the inevitable resurgence of the familiar sting of grief. Good on me, for trying.

Last night I was startled as I watched the news upon hearing that an anonymous donor has given $100,000,000 to CAMH in Toronto (Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Hospital). I immediately burst into tears. 100 MILLION DOLLARS! This is by far more money than I can fathom, but I would think this can do amazing things, from being able to detect early stages of mental illnesses to leading edge treatments and cures! This news is worth sharing. This is like, everyone, all of humankind, not only Canadian, winning the lottery. The possibilities this funding will have are endless.

Please read the attached article and share as a way to say thank you to this donor, who does not want to be named, and to provide a light for all of us trudging through the ‘sh**hole’ news of late. This friends, is the best news, for everyone. There is not a single human who has not been touched by either mental illness, mental disease or addiction in some way.

To my brother David, whose birth I will always commemorate and who will always be a part of who I am: I love you and you were always perfect; before and after the schizophrenia. The research, understanding and cure will come too late, but the hope just grew by 100 million dollars from a real life angel who has “seen the devastating impact of mental illness on individuals and their families.” Who wants “to provide support to the next generation of researchers and scientists to pursue the research that will directly transform care.” Happy Birthday, my dear brother.

To the researchers and scientists: for our children, sisters, brothers, parents and all of humanity, Godspeed.

A donor is giving a record $100 million to CAMH — and doesn’t want to be named

New possibilities opening up for mental health research at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as a result of historic gift.