草莓污视频导航

Dec. 12, 2022

New scholarship supports mental health advocates and change-makers

Inaugural recipient of Josephine Wearmouth Memorial Doctoral Scholarship aims to increase resiliency and connection in her field
Dr. Linda Dorrestein, DVM, an international student and PhD candidate from the Netherlands
Linda Dorrestein

According to a recent study, Canadian veterinarians report poorer mental health compared to the general population 鈥 something the recipient of a new scholarship at the 草莓污视频导航 is hoping to change.

The study, published in the , found that vets surveyed reported significantly higher burnout, anxiety, depression and reduced resilience.

Reading about these findings worried Dr. Linda Dorrestein, DVM, an international student and PhD candidate from the Netherlands. Her mental health advocacy has earned her the inaugural , an endowed award given annually to 颅颅颅a graduate student who is making a difference in student mental health and suicide prevention.

Advocacy through volunteerism and lived experience

Dorrestein says she noticed a marked change in mental health concerns when she came to Calgary from her home country in 2019. 听

鈥淚 always thought we had quite a bit of pressure on our shoulders in the Netherlands. And then I came to Canada,鈥 Dorrestein says. 鈥淚t's much more grade-focused here, and I see a lot of people being affected by that mindset. You can really feel the pressure.鈥

This prompted her to join a mental health subcommittee at 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Foothills campus. As a student with career experience 鈥 she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Utrecht University in 2015 鈥 she felt better equipped to support her peers and colleagues.

鈥淚鈥檝e had mornings where I had to euthanize seven animals before the lunch break. That hurts,鈥 Dorrestein says. 鈥淪o, getting an A instead of an A+ just isn't that important anymore, in a way.鈥

The subcommittee conducted a survey on how best to support the graduate student community. Results led to initiatives like peer check-ins, lobbying for more funding for mental health initiatives, and creating a communication workshop for students and supervisors to help strengthen their resilience.

It also inspired the ZenDen, which recently opened at Foothills. It鈥檚 a physical space for students to 鈥渃ool down, relax or maybe even cry if they need to,鈥 says Dorrestein, who supported the idea and was proud to see it come to fruition thanks to subcommittee members who came after her.

The experience gave her hope that future students can form communities of caring and work towards prioritizing balance over grades, like she was able to do.

鈥淚 just hope that students who might be struggling seek help or open up to their peers,鈥 she says. 鈥淭here is always someone who wants to listen to you. And, for those not struggling, ask your peers how they鈥檙e doing, how they鈥檙e really doing. It鈥檚 important we take care of each other.鈥

Creating a legacy and making change

That kind of care hits home for Shelley and Curran Wearmouth, mother and brother of Josephine Wearmouth, who was the inspiration for the scholarship Dorrestein received. In 2017, Josephine, then a 19-year-old psychology student at the University of British Columbia, lost her battle with .

For Shelley and Curran, the scholarship is a way to pay tribute to her and process their grief. 鈥淭his is another way of honouring Josie,鈥 says Curran. 鈥淲e can still carry on her values by finding another way of building a mental health culture.鈥

Shelley, BSc (Eng)鈥83, MEng鈥94, says the shock some students may feel moving to a new place, away from their usual support networks, can have a profound impact. After Josie鈥檚 death, Shelley asked many questions, even going to her daughter鈥檚 high school and talking with students.

鈥淲e immediately saw a need for more (supports). It鈥檚 so difficult for these young kids,鈥 she says. 鈥淢ental health can be a life-threatening situation, and it needs to be respected.鈥

The Wearmouths weren鈥檛 alone in seeing the need for change 鈥 the , the and a host of family and friends got behind the award, raising $150,000 to ensure it exists in perpetuity and inspires mental health leadership for generations to come.

鈥淲e wanted to get students interested and engaged so they can make their own impact,鈥 Shelley says. 鈥淭hey are our future leaders. Many will go out into the work world; many will raise families of their own. They need to be mental health-literate.鈥

By funding change-makers like Dorrestein, the Wearmouths are working towards that goal 鈥 one which they hope will move the needle and save lives.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours or a mental health crisis, know that you are not alone and there are many supports and caring individuals available to assist you.听If your life or someone else鈥檚 is in danger, call 911 for emergency services or call the听听at 403-266-4357 or听听at 1-833-456-4566.

The 草莓污视频导航鈥檚听Campus Mental Health Strategy听is a bold commitment to the importance of mental health and well-being of our university family. Our vision is to be a community where we care for each other, learn and talk about mental health and well-being, receive support as needed, and individually and collectively realize our full potential.


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