A campus mental health project is sharing messages of hope and healing from members of the UWindsor community to help anyone who may be struggling.

“It Matters That You’re Here,” a year-round suicide prevention program developed by Student Health, Counselling, and Wellness Services, is highlighting Care Champions to help offer words of care to anyone considering suicide.

“The University of Windsor is not just an educational institution — we are also a community; a home away from home for thousands of young people who are at a critical juncture of their lives,” Care Champion and University of Windsor Students’ Alliance president Ghallia Hashem shared in her care message.

“Many students encounter challenges and pressures that can lead to distress and crisis. We recognize these challenges and understand that our duty is not just to promote academic success, but also to ensure the well-being and mental health of every student.”

Hashem said she ran for president to support students and hopes to increase visibility of mental health supports available on campus, ensuring everyone has someone there when they need help.

“Reaching out is a brave step towards healing and wellness. It can be helpful to start with someone you trust, but if you're not ready to share with someone close to you or if you don’t currently have someone you trust in your life, there are many helplines and online resources available. It’s okay to take small steps and it's okay to need help,” she said.

For Hashem, listening to someone and being that shoulder to lean on always comes with a learning experience.

“When you’re able to sit and listen in a fulsome way to someone’s struggles and accept them where they are, you in turn have always learned something new about a perspective in life,” she explained.

When things get tough for Hashem, she likes to set appropriate boundaries to help prevent burnout and allow her to build stronger, more respectful relationships with others.

For residence life co-ordinator Sophia Kakonge-Lamanna, it’s an honour to be a Care Champion and for others to see in her the desire to help others.

She said she understands what it feels like to “feel as if you are falling down a hole you can’t climb out of,” and understands how lonely life can get.

“I know you might feel alone, but I want you to know that there are still options for finding a way through this and that you don’t have to figure it out by yourself,” Kakonge-Lamanna shared in her care message. “I care about you and if you’re open to it, I can offer you resources to assist you on your healing journey.”

In her role, it’s important for her to be helpful and for students to know she’s there to listen.

“It’s amazing to know that you’re helping someone to come into a better situation and helping them through a time when they need support,” she said.

A message she always shares is, “You’re strong and you’re deserving. You can get through this. You are deserving of this help.”

“I think that’s something people forget,” Kakonge-Lamanna said. “We have more power than we’re perceived to, and we do deserve the best parts of life even when it seems everything is crumbling around us.”

Learn more about Hashem and Kakonge-Lamanna, as well as the other Care Champions sharing messages of care, here.