A woman with ties to Chatham-Kent is planning to visit First Nation communities across the country to raise awareness of the mental health issues many people face.
Natasha Pittman has spent this summer visiting family in Chatham-Kent, however, rather than taking a direct trip home to Alert Bay, British Columbia, she's embarking on an awareness campaign.
Pittman plans to drive across the country with her therapy dog, Sebastian. Throughout her drive home, Pittman will be making stops at First Nation communities to speak with youth members about mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
She said she felt inspired to do this after overcoming her own mental health issues and hopes to inspire young people.
"Mental health and suicide awareness are super close to my heart. I have been affected by friends and family taking their lives since finding my birth family in Alert Bay," said Pittman. "Seeing the lack of resources that are there on the reserve and knowing that it impacts so many people's lives ... Although everyone needs help, I figured I'd focus on the youth as [they're] our future."
Pittman said she has seen first-hand the difference in the number of services offered in urban areas compared to rural areas.
"There are definitely a few resources [on First Nation reserves] but it's not enough," she said. "When I was going through my own mental health issues, I had access to a counsellor daily, I went to a treatment centre for three months for my depression... and that's just not available [to everyone]."
By sharing her own personal story, Pittman hopes to let young people know that they're not alone in the struggles they face. She also hopes to give people a bit of a confidence boost in a unique way. As a professional hairstylist, Pittman will be offering haircuts.
"To do hair on a traditional bartering system so they can either perform a traditional song or dance that I can record, they can bring me traditional food or arts and crafts. This gives them a sense of accomplishment in paying for their haircut themselves," she said. "There are so many crises on the reserve [regarding] water and housing but I don't know what to do about those. As a hairstylist... I figure I know how to give good haircuts."
While visiting First Nation communities, Pittman and a cameraman plan to film the journey and interactions so that they can be shared online. Pittman said at this point she's unsure if the videos will be uploaded to YouTube in an episode style or if a documentary-style video will be created once she reaches Alert Bay.
Locally, Pittman said she did reach out to officials on Walpole Island in order to organize a small gathering. However, because it was short-notice, Pittman said she has been told to come back at a later date. In the meantime, Pittman's first stop on her way to Alert Bay will be at Pic River First Nation, Ontario.
"I've been in contact with people in Winnipeg and northern and southern Alberta, and in Saskatchewan," she said. "I'm trying to go province by province and hopefully I'll get one or maybe two stops per province."
If this trek through Canada generates enough interest, Pittman said it may be something she continues on a larger scale in the spring of next year.
Pittman has created a Facebook page with the goal of raising $3,000 to help cover the costs of her journey.
