Many guests have joined me to openly talk about their battles with their mental health, but not quite like my guest this week, Nancy Xia.

Nancy brings us to the raw realities of her journey – from battling childhood anxiety to grappling with clinical depression, culminating, at age eighteen, in her leap from her eighth-floor balcony as her father watched helpless and in shock. Miraculously, Nancy survives but breaks her spine and loses the use of her legs.

The power comes from her descriptions of how she feels, experiences the world, what she thinks of herself, and her friends and family. I now understand how dark the world can get and why suicide becomes the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nancy defied fate and in doing so a new path was lit.  She listened to her healthcare experts, and found herself on a transformative healing path.  Twenty years after her suicide attempt Nancy is happy, describes her life as joyful, her religion is her compass and all have led her to what she believes is her true purpose.

To help those who suffer, and those who suffer along side them.

This emotional and heartwarming episode is a testament to the journey from darkness to light and a heartfelt tribute to our unsung healthcare heroes.

And then stay for Amy Deacon, the CEO of Toronto Wellness. I am sure there are people in your life who struggle with their mental wellbeing, Amy gives her reasons why, and why our younger generation is most at risk.