Seeds of Hope Raises Over $133,000 and Heals a Family

The 8th annual Seeds of Hope fundraising dinner recently raised more than $133,000 to benefit the programs and services offered by Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center (BMC). Speaker after speaker made it clear that the real beneficiaries of the event are the men and women of the Inland Empire who rely on the BMC to help them overcome the reality and stigma of mental illness, addiction and dependency disorders. Former San Bernardino Mayor and Superior Court Judge The Honorable Patrick J. Morris illustrated his talk about the important role the BMC plays in the community. He mentioned that the judicial community is very much aware that places like the BMC do a lot more good for society than prisons and predicted that in the near future, our judicial system will put far fewer numbers of people behind bars and far greater numbers in rehabilitation and recovery programs. Edward Field, MBA, vice president and administrator of the BMC, thanked guests for attending before launching into the heart of his remarks. “For the past 25 years,” Field said, “the National Alliance on Mental Illness has recognized the first full week of October as Mental Health Awareness Week. One of the main themes is the fight against stigma. Most of us recognize that the stigma of mental illness and addiction is real and at times it is right in front of us, next to us, weaving in and out of our community, but sometimes we don’t see it.” After noting that the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction seems to be impenetrable at times, he pointed out that the statistics on mental health are staggering: • One in four people will have a diagnosable mental illness in their lifetime • Approximately one in five men and one in 12 women develop alcohol dependence during their lifetime • There is a suicide every four minutes • Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24 “Although these stats are shocking,” Field observed, “I am thankful that there is help. There is hope for all living with mental illness and addiction. The Behavioral Medicine Center provides this help through caring individuals who offer highly structured and therapeutic programs.” Over the past seven years, Seeds of Hope has raised funds that provided 221 scholarships to those who have had little to no access to insurance and been given the chance to get healthy and into recovery. One Inland Empire teen who has benefited from the BMC, Marcela Ontiveros, shared her story at the event. A happy, well-adjusted child in a loving family environment, she became increasingly sullen and withdrawn as she entered her teens. Finally, someone suggested she might benefit from treatment at the BMC, and her parents insisted she get help. “I was really nervous and reluctant to go,” Marcela said, recalling how she’d hoped to go through the program unnoticed. Her parents were similarly uncomfortable and nervous. They didn’t know what to expect. With the help of Glenn Scott Jr., LCSW, program manager for outpatient youth services at the BMC, and other staff at the BMC, the Ontiveros family faced their demons and worked on their issues. At the end of the presentation, the five members of the family joined Scott onstage for a short discussion. The family all agreed that it is important to ask for help. Marcela’s mom, Lorena, told the group that her prayers had been answered. “Don’t be afraid,” she said. “There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel and the BMC was it. God put the BMC in our path.”