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MAKING ADJUSTMENTS: At last year's edition of the Yogathon fundraiser in support of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario s Halton/Peel also heldat The Meeting House Kula yogaStudio instructor Colin Matthews corrects Madhuri Ramakrishnan's pose as other participants work on their form. The fundraiser will beSaturday, Feb. 12 from 8 a.m. to4:20 p.m. The Meeting House islocated at 2700 Bristol Circle.OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTOWoman speaks of mom living with schizophreniaContinued from page 1being evil, she said.I always fought to get her help. My mom's very sweet when she's my mom...While Ashley had doubts about her mother Classes are open to all levels of ability andSometimes you see little sparks of who they are. They are somebody lost to you... and her tales, the young teenager did not know this year a childrens yoga class has beenI get teary, but it's my mom." where to turn for help.included for $5 per child. Whenever Ashley told her mom she needed The day-long event will run from 8 a.m. to'Ashley,' daughter of woman with schizophrenia help, her mother told her she was the one who 4:20 p.m.needed help.Those participating are asked to registerto her mothers diagnosis really set in when I was 12 and things started happening, There was lots of arguing more than online at www.yogathon.ca or just drop in.Ashley was just 12.said Ashley.teenage friction at home, said Ashley in looking For further details call Marina Sue-Ping atIn an interview withThe Oakville Beaver She would come home and find oil crosses back.905-338-2112 or email msue-ping@schizo-about how her now 59-year-old mothers diag-in the apartment. I was sleeping with scissors under my pil-phrenia.on.ca. nosis came about, Ashley outlined a young life When youre 12, what do you do with low. I didnt know what was going on with her. Often misunderstood, schizophrenia strikesfraught with conflict and confusion that ulti-that?I didnt even know how to begin to try to say people in their prime, usually in their late teensmately left her living on her own at age 16 She said shed return home from school to anything to anybody about it, said Ashley.or early adult years, such that it has becomeafter an attempt was made on her life by her find her stuffed animals ripped apart because of Ashley began taking over responsibilities for known as youths great disabler.mom.a fear they may be possessed.her mom like paying the rent on her behalf. For one local woman participating in theThe woman described a scenario in which Ashley broke down in tears recalling she It wasnt until one day that Ashley repeated to a upcoming yogathon fundraiser, the diseaseher parents separated and divorced when she had to throw out her unicorn collection because friend that the superintendent had been arrest-drastically affected her own youth her momwas very young.of the unicorns horns.ed only to be asked Who told you that? Thats was diagnosed with schizophrenia when theShe and her brother, who was nearly five Once, when Ashley failed to lock the door not true, theres the superintendent, that the local woman was in her mid-teens.years older, were then raised by their mom.after leaving for school, she returned to find all unreality of Ashleys home life was first revealed The woman, Ashley, is not being named toWhen her brother moved away to pursue the groceries had been thrown out for fear to those outside her home.protect her mother and extended family.post-secondary studies, Ashley and her mother theyd been drugged.However, Ashley said she had doctors visit Ashley is now 34, settled with a husband andwere on their own in an apartment in a small Then there were the stories she was told her home to assess her mom, but nothing came two young children and a new business.Ontario town.about the apartment building superintendent See SSO page 13According to Ashley, the symptoms that ledFounded in Oakville, the SSO works toward Peace of MindsFounded in 1979 in Oakville, theaffected by schizophrenia through itsthose who support and are affected byMinds campaign earlier this year, and is Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO)network of chapters and regional officesthat soars to 500,000.hosting its sixth annual Yogathon for is a non-profit organization offering ain communities across Ontario.The SSO believes the numbers showSchizophrenia to benefit the organiza-reason to hope and the means to cope forSSO is the largest organization repre-that schizophrenia is truly a communitytions youth engagement and awareness families affected by schizophrenia. senting people affected by schizophreniadisease that requires a communitycampaign.SSO provides support, education, andin Ontario. While more than 130,000response. To help drive the communityThe Oakville yogathon will be its sig-advocacy on behalf of people and familiespeople live with schizophrenia in Ontario,response, the SSO launched its Peace of nature event on Feb. 12.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, February 10, 2011 12