Mary Jane Dolbeck: 2005 Courage to Come Back Award Recipient

North Bay, Ontario

Mary-Jane Dolbeck was born in Kipawa, Quebec. She was one of ten children and for financial reasons had to leave school and start working at the young age of fourteen. Like many people of her generation Mary Jane grew up feeling very ashamed of being Native and as a result, she lost most of her culture and traditions.

At the end of her first marriage, Mary-Jane found herself slipping into depression and began abusing alcohol and prescription medication. Her mother and father thought it would be best if she spent some time in a psychiatric hospital to recover. During her time at the hospital, her depression was treated using a variety of methods.

The effects of the treatment - which she continues to experience today - left Mary-Jane with nightmares and memory loss, hindering her ability to learn and obtain information. Despite the obstacle, Mary-Jane went back to school. Although it was difficult at times having only a Grade 8 education, she went on to receive a college diploma in Native Social Service Work and is on her way to obtaining a B.A. in Social Welfare.

Mary-Jane has always believed in the importance of helping others and has passed that belief down to her seven children and 13 grandchildren. She continues to show compassion and empathy towards those with mental illness and addiction by volunteering at the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital and with the People for Equal Partnership in Mental Health for various events. She is also an active member of the tenants association for her apartment complex that is geared towards providing housing for disabled individuals.

Mary-Jane believes that her power to live successfully with her illness comes from her unwavering determination and "never give up" spirit accompanied by living a healthy and productive lifestyle. She has been an inspiration to many, especially to members of her family and several of her children and grandchildren are pursuing careers that allow them to assist individuals with special needs.