Doris Rumsby reached out to the Canadian Mental Health Association to see if there was support for family members shortly after her daughter was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. While there wasn’t a group, Doris took it upon herself to invite others into her home, and the genesis of MHRP was born.

The group of parents recognized the huge need in front of them. The group had continued to grow as new families joined, and they reached out to the BC Schizophrenia Society to form a new local branch in Nanaimo.

Recognizing the need for a future for their loved ones, members of the society purchased a local apartment building to house their loved ones suffering from mental illness. To ensure the future of the housing, a new society was spun off from the BCSS branch.

Friends of Schizophrenia continues today, offering housing in two separate locations in Nanaimo.

BCSS Nanaimo has continued to grow through the years, participating in local high schools, events, and growing connections with likeminded organizations. The next logical step is to obtain registered charity status from the CRA.

To better serve our community, BCSS Nanaimo, along with Victoria and Campbell River jointly formed Mental Health Recovery Partners to ensure we could offer the best programs to our communities.

With additional funding secured, MHRP CI expanded education programs and launched Nanaimo’s first Menthal Health Navigator position.