On On November 26th, be sure to join us as Calgarian, Karen Gosbee an advocate for mental health, tells us a very compelling story.........
Guest Speaker: Karen Gosbee, Mental Health Advocate and Community Leader
Friday, November 26, 2021 - VIRTUAL MEETING ONLY!
Virtual Meeting Time: Members Segment Login Time: 12:00 Noon, Guests: 12:15pm to 1:15 PM -
Rotary Virtual Meeting via TEAMS! (Use LinkedTree Link)
Topic: Mental Health: Why Doesn’t She Just Leave?
Host: Carolyn Purden, Chair of Indigenous Partnership Working Group
MEMBERS ONLY: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE KEY NOTE SPEAKER AT 1:15PM
APPROVAL OF AUDITORS REPORT, AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND APPOINTMENT OF THE AUDITOR
ROTARIANS FOR YOU AND OUR VIRTUAL ONLY GUESTS:
Rotarian and Guests: RSVP to office@rotarytoronto.com
if using TEAMS to be admitted to the meeting.
Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions are those expressed by the Speaker and
do not necessarily reflect the official views or opinions, policy or position of The Rotary Club of Toronto or its Members.
Biography
Karen Gosbee is an advocate and community leader for mental health in Calgary. Having been exposed to mental health and substance abuse both in her childhood and adult life, she has extensive lived experience. Ms. Gosbee and her three children lost their husband and father, George Gosbee, only 48 years of age at the time, to suicide in 2017. Before her husband’s death, Ms. Gosbee often felt hopeless and struggled to navigate the resources available to support her husband and family. After his death, she came forward for two reasons. First, to share the family story so others could identify with her situation and feel more comfortable sharing their own story. Second, to address the lack of resources and coordinated services in a time of need. Ms. Gosbee met with Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi with a plea to help align resources for the community and to address systemic and society failures for mental health and addiction in the city of Calgary. He agreed with her claims and saw this as a ten-year strategy similar to the city’s homeless strategy. In August 2018, he proposed a Notice of Motion to allocate $25 million over a five to ten-year plan for mental health and addiction. The mayor selected a team of Calgary based leaders to take part in Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership initiative in New York City during January 2019. On July 29, 2019 The City of Calgary Approved a Community Action on Mental Health and Addiction (CAMHA) and appointed a community-based stewardship group co-chaired by Karen Gosbee and Dr. Chris Eagle.
Karen, along with her children, established The Gosbee Family Foundation, a registered charitable organization that provides information, access and referral services to anyone experiencing mental health issues. She is the author of a best seller book, titled: A Perfect Nightmare: My Glittering Marriage and How It Almost Cost Me My Life.