Anne Rides Again!
WHY I RIDE ... AND WHY I'M RAISING $25,000 FOR PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO
Mental health is a big part of the reason why I became a fundraiser for Children's Hospital Colorado 21 years ago. I was navigating my own mental health journey as were a few close friends and family members. A few of us were lucky enough to get the right help at the right time to manage our medical condition. But today, so many kids in our state are not so fortunate: 1 in 5 kids are living with a diagnosable mental health illness but less than 50% will ever receive the appropriate treatment. Here are a few sobering facts:
- Suicide is still the leading cause of death for those who are 10-24 years old in Colorado - nearly double the national average
- We saw a 72% increase in mental health visits in 2021 compared to 2019 and a 215% increase in suicide plans/attempts in our ED; 50% of these kids were in a mental health crisis
- Over the last decade, Colorado lost 1,000 residential treatment beds for kids
- A 29-42% turnover in the mental health workforce in our state is just one of the reasons why waitlists for our patients are running 6-12 months for outpatient services
- In 2021, our President and CEO, Jena Hausmann, declared a State of Emergency for youth mental health and brought Dr. Ron-Li Liaw, the first ever pediatric Mental Health In-Chief to our hospital to develop a transformational, strategic vision over the next 5 years to advance a youth and family-centered, coordinated system of mental health care with collaborative partners ensuring equitable access to high-quality, evidence-based care and prevention.
Our Psyched to Climb team - 55+ riders strong - is the only team in the Courage Classic supporting pediatric mental health. I am asking you to consider a gift of $25, $50, $200, $250, $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000 to support our mental health program and my ride. Just click on the DONATE NOW link at the top of this page and you will receive a thank you note from me sharing a story about one of my heroes who has been successfully served by our Pediatric Mental Health program.
Here at Children's Colorado, we stay true to our North Star of doing what is right for kids. With the help of our generous donors, we are starting to see the positive effects of the work we are doing to help so many kids who are desperate, anxious, depressed, struggling with various mood disorders or, sadly, suicide.
To all of you who support my ride year after year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this one of your philanthropic priorities! YOU MATTER! MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!
Ride on,
Anne
