Hey guys,

Welcome to my page. I’m so glad to have you here on part of my journey. As most of you are aware, I spent my teenage years detained as a psychiatric patient on CAMHS ward. If anyone can tell you in detail about the flaws in the youth mental health system it’ll be me. I know it better than anyone.

I’ve always been stubborn. Prime example was when I was twelve years old. I was on my grandparents farm in Galway and I asked my grandfather to help me bring out the poles and stands so I could set up my show jumps in the field. My pony was tacked up and ready to go. I just needed to find a way to get the jumps from the shed to the field and I didn’t have the strength to do it myself. My grandfather told me he was busy doing something and me being the very determined girl I was decided to take it upon myself to get the poles to the field.

My grandmother took her binoculars out of the cupboard and watched me out the kitchen window. I loaded my jumps onto the forklift and then I drove the forklift out to the field and set the jumps up from there. Nothing could stop me and my determination was unlike anything else. I share that story because at times when I lose hope or feel I’m not making any progress, my family especially my grandmother remind me of that day with the forklift and tell me

“By god when you’ve set your mind to something; nothing can stop you.”

I guess I have had a determination and life purpose inside of me since I was 18 years old to go out and fight for the mental health changes so desperately needed for young people in Ireland, and secondly; I have the madness inside me to believe I can and I will and that’s how I’m here today at 07:35 on Saturday morning writing this blog post.

The journey won’t be easy, these changes won’t happen overnight but I believe it’s possible and I can promise you, I won’t ever stop fighting for it.

Lots of love

Katie Megan Woods

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