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| FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BULLYING |
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Cindy is the mother of 4 children. Her precious 14 year old daughter, Dawn-Marie, took her own life in November 2000 as a result of being harrassed and bullied.
Dawn-Marie was tragically found lifeless in her bedroom by her younger brother. In her suicide Dawn-Marie named 3 girls who had bullied her at school. For the first time in Canadian history the girls were charged and 2 were found guilty of causing Dawn-Marie's suicide by bullying.
Through all of the heart ache Cindy has found strength in telling her story. She has traveled extensively, encouraging teens in schools and communities across North America to hold on to their lives.
Cindy has been a featured guest on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'; 'The John Walsh Show'; 'The Vicky Gabereau Show' and CTV's 'W-FIVE with Sandie Rinaldo' among others and has been interviewed by such media greats as Anderson Cooper of CNN. Cindy has also been a guest on many radio shows and has been a contributer and speaker at many forums discussing the whole subject of bullying. She receives many invitations to speak across the country.
There is also a National Film Board of Canada Documentary "It's A Girl's World' in which Cindy is featured. This film has been seen in schools across the country and is regularly shown on TV.
Cindy is excited to be working with YOUR LIFE COUNTS! . She is the Director of the YOUR LIFE COUNTS! BULLYING-180 Program (formerly known as 'Chrysalis')which has been established under YOUR LIFE COUNTS!'s umbrella in memory of her daughter Dawn-Marie.
When Cindy speaks in schools, youth listen to her. As a mom who has experienced such a tragic loss, Cindy speaks from the heart and right into the serious issue of bullying. The consequences of bullying are exposed and very often bullies find strength through Cindy to stop their destructive behaviour and learn to be kind to others. They are able to break their cycle of behaviour and do a 180 degree turnaround. That's where the name 'BULLYING-180' comes from!
Cindy wants to prevent other teens and families from going through what she and her family went through in their loss of Dawn-Marie. Whether Cindy speaks in school assemblies or in classrooms the outcome is always lives changed for the better. The BULLYING-180 happens and makes room for hope and healing. There are many teens alive today because of Cindy's influence in their lives and the reinforcing message and back up resources of YOUR LIFE COUNTS! .
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM CINDY TO YOU:
'I want you to know that YOU have a purpose in living. There is a purpose in your life. We all have problems and I need you to know today that suicide is not the answer..it's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Bullying is a big thing - me and my family know that better than just about anyone. Losing my precious daughter Dawn-Marie to suicide as a result of bullying was the hardest thing I have ever had to cope with. Her loss doesn't make sense. Bullying doesn't make sense. It doesn't have to be this way.
I hope you will take the time to find out more about bullying and why bullies need to be understood and helped to change their ways before things get out of control and someone gets hurt. Everyone has the potential within them to become a bully. Every bully can turn his/her life around. He/she can do a 180. What that means basically is that when you do a 180 you're in the other direction to where you started from ...if you did a 360 you'd do a circle and end up back where you started. A 180 breaks the circle. It breaks the cycle and it brings about change.
That's what I want to accomplish in everything I do. To turn bullying situations around. To change the bully and help him/her see that they need to change. That's when healing can make a huge difference both to the bully and his/ her victim. Find out more in this section.
Here at YOUR LIFE COUNTS! we'll listen to you and we'll help you get help. There's always a way forward. The BULLYING-180 Program and the work of YOUR LIFE COUNTS! is important to me. You are important to me. Your life counts and you need to know that no matter what you're going through you can get through it if you keep going. If you need help today - if you need someone to listen and someone to care - then please contact us here at help@yourlifecounts.org
If you know of someone who is in trouble and isn't coping please let us know.
If you want me to come to your school please ask your teachers and we'll try to put this together. I need you to help me and the team here at BULLYING-180 & YOUR LIFE COUNTS! to let people know about us.
Tell your friends! Take care."
Love
Cindy.
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| Check out the Cindy Wesley Media Centre |
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