Nigel’s Gift

Nigel. Thoughtful. Caring. Fun. Adventurous.

Living in Calgary, Nigel seemed to have it all. Until, he didn’t.

Nigel was diagnosed with a personality disorder. When managed through medication his illness was “invisible” however a disruption to his regular medication could send him spiraling into crisis.  A seemingly unbreakable cycle developed.

It started with his first stay in the psychiatric unit. They helped him get back on track. Eating. Sleeping. Finding the right balance of medication. Once stabilized he was discharged and told to visit a community clinic once a week where they would give him his medication for the upcoming week.

When he went home, he no longer had a place to live. His belongings had been put on the street. He went to work, and no longer had a job.

He found a room to let. He found work. The commute was long – train, bus, walk – each way.

The clinic hours were limited and frequently conflicted with his work schedule. He would miss a week. He would miss his meds. He would spiral into crisis. And the cycle would begin again.

There were times he made it successfully through the weekly clinic visits. The staff at the clinic would say he was doing okay. That he could manage on his own. They would give him a prescription to get filled.

But, money was tight. Food was short. Rent had to be paid. Decisions needed to be made. The prescription would not get filled. And the cycle would begin again.

Nigel passed away in 2008.

A Mother’s Love

A mother’s love for her adult son across the country could not solve his problem. She knew he needed a home that would be there for him and that would not give up on him. A safe place for him to weather life’s storms.

She learned about a charity associated with mental illness. They do good work. But, they also had a lot of people around them. She looked for somewhere closer to home where she could make a difference.

She learned about Bonny Lea Farm. While she knew that not all participants have mental illness, she also knew that many of them benefit significantly from the safe and supportive home that Bonny Lea Farm provides.

That is what she wanted most to do. To honour Nigel’s memory. What started as a mother’s desire to help her son, turned into a legacy gift for Bonny Lea Farm. Nigel’s mother made the decision to leave Bonny Lea Farm a gift in her will. A decision to help others have what he so desperately needed and could not find. A stable, safe and secure home.

Thank you Nigel.

To learn more about how you can leave a gift to Bonny Lea Farm in your will, click here or call Liz at 902.277.0986. She would be happy to answer any questions you may have.