Sheldon and Shannon Hirschfeld hold a grad photo of their daughter Angela Morrison who lost her battle with depression. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

By Teena Monteleone

Angela`s Corner

Transformed area to benefit youth struggling with mental health

Jul 12, 2019 | 5:00 PM

Angela Morrison was just 18 years old when she lost her battle with depression last year. Now, her family and friends hope a special project in her memory will have a positive impact on other youth struggling with mental health.

“Her coworkers at Boston Pizza wanted to do something to remember her. They raised some money and some concepts were thrown around and now we see this wonderful space,” Angela’s father, Sheldon Hirschfeld, said.

Angela’s Corner provides a comfortable, bright space for kids in the Victoria Hospital youth mental health in-patient unit. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

The ribbon was cut Friday to officially open Angela’s Corner, a transformed nook within the mental health and in-patient unit at the Victoria Hospital. A number of local businesses, family and friends partnered with the Victoria Hospital Foundation to raise funds for the rebuild of the area that features brightly coloured walls, benches with cushions and a number of books for children. The main focal point is a beautiful tree painted among wild poppies, roses, animals and some of Angela’s favorite quotes.

“Angela loved nature and she loved to read, so I think it is so fitting that it’s a reading corner,” Hirschfeld said. “Sometimes you can’t see when someone is struggling and I think it is important for kids to have an environment where they feel safe and they can speak and feel that they’re heard. We hope Angela’s Corner gives them that.”

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Every year, the Victoria Hospital admits over 500 children and youth to the mental health in-patient unit to receive care and treatment for mood disorders, severe anxiety disorders and youth at risk of suicide.

“I think when we say hospital, we think cold and sterile and not welcoming but with the transformation of our nook into Angela’s Corner, we see it is warm and inviting and a place where kids can be kids, bring their guards down and better engage with the staff so the outcomes will be easier reached as opposed to being on edge in a hospital where you don’t really want to be,” Nursing Unit Manager Adam Pearson said.

The transformed corner of the youth mental health in-patient unit features some of Angela’s favorite quotes. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

In the short amount of time Angela’s Corner has been there, Pearson said he already saw patients gravitate toward the area and engage with their peers instead of isolating themselves in their rooms.

On average, the youth mental health in-patient unit in Prince Albert has an average of eight children residing in it. Pearson said admissions have been increasing on a steady basis.

“Anecdotally, we would see three to four patients a couple of years ago on average and now we are seeing seven to nine on a daily basis.”

He attributes the rise to a number of reasons including a better understanding and destigmatization around mental health, substance abuse, and intergenerational trauma from residential schools.

Hirschfeld said even if one child can find comfort in Angela’s Corner, that would be a win.

“Angela was a very bright young lady. She had struggles with depression and we’d like kids to feel that it’s OK to talk when they’re not feeling 100 per cent,” he said.

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teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone