REGINA – Close to 300 people gathered outside the Saskatchewan legislature on Friday to call for more mental health supports in the province.
One of the participants was Wanda Ball, who lost her son, Kye, to mental illness just six weeks ago.
“At the age of 13, the school actually noticed before we even did as parents that Kye was struggling,” said Ball. “He had told a friend that he thought about self-harming to deal with his pain.”
Kye was in and out of the hospital for the next three years. Medication didn’t help, and after staying in a youth centre for 90 days, the family was told there was no place for Kye. A month later, he committed suicide.
“These people feel isolated and there’s nowhere for them to go for help,” said Ball. “Once you outstay your hospital stay, where do you go? You go home to suffer.”
Todd Guggenmos lost his son, Lane, to suicide in 2015. He said the province hired more intake workers after Lane died, but it’s still not enough.
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