OUR IMPACT
Enriching the Community. One Youth at a Time. Customized support when needed most
“ I realized … how important it is for everyone to have reliable support as they navigate their way through life.”
TAMMY DYER DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPTIONS COMMUNITY SERVICES
Carrie’s Story
F or several weeks, Carrie had been pursuing her dream to become a writer. Step one was to enroll in the creative writing program at Douglas College – something Carrie thought was a pipe dream just a short time before that. But when she came to the Options office to give the team an update, she flashed the brightest, most beautiful smile! Such a simple thing, really … a smile. We take it for granted, for the most part. But not Carrie. You see, before this, Carrie never smiled. Literally. She never smiled. She was too self- conscious, too embarrassed.
When Carrie was younger, she experienced some intense trauma. The trauma initiated an endless cycle of depression, shame, self-blame, guilt and loss of self-confidence. The pattern was so severe that Carrie stopped taking care of herself and particularly, her teeth and she stopped smiling. It got so bad that it became painful for Carrie to eat. By the time Options staff became involved, Carrie’s difficulties required the intervention of an endodontist, a specialist dentist. The estimate was $7,000 – a sum she certainly didn’t have, and unfortunately, Carrie wasn’t eligible for government funding. Her plight appeared
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