Wendy poses for a photo in front of the entrance to Macdonald West, our affordable studio apartments, where she lived before needing additional caregiving

“This is my story; I’m sticking to it. If you don’t speak up, nothing’s going to get done.”

Despite having to relive painful memories, Wendy explains why she tells her life story to anyone she can.

Growing up in an abusive home, loneliness was a frequent companion for Wendy. And while that would be hard enough, things got worse. Wendy endured unspeakable domestic violence that left her homeless and traumatized. She began experiencing seizures as a result; as many as 30 in one day. Some would wipe out any memory of preceding events, leaving her to piece things together after the fact.

Before coming to Maybelle Center, Wendy wasn’t getting the care she needed. She was afraid to tell her story and advocate for herself because, “I felt like I was being judged all the time.”

Encouraged by a friend who was a Maybelle Center member, Wendy began meeting with our Spiritual Support staff, followed by home visits through our Visitation Program. It was through these meetings that Wendy learned how to advocate for herself. Wendy says,“You can’t make people understand if you don’t tell them what’s going on… A lot of people say, ‘I just don’t want to talk to them.’ But you know what, I was the same way. I felt like I was being judged all the time. You have to get past that.”

Wendy snuggles with a goat at our annual Wildwood in the City event. Wendy can’t attend our annual all-day excursion to the mountain because of her medical needs, so our city event is a key part of feeling connected.

And now Wendy says her passion is “to give back to the communities that helped me in the past during my time of need. I’ve had a chance to share my story with many people and organizations. I want to give hope to those who have experienced similar life stories.”

In October 2017, Wendy graduated from Peer Wellness Specialist Training. She says her “long-term goal is to use [their] training to find ways to educate people on how to advocate for their physical and mental health and live prosperous lives without fear of reprisal or judgment.”

For the past seven years, Wendy has been volunteering on various governing and advisory boards like the Multnomah County Public Health Advisory Board and the Adult Mental Health Substance Abuse Advisory Committee.

She educates doctors and other medical providers on the impact of trauma and the difference between empathy and sympathy. Wendy says sometimes providers can make big changes by just altering how things are phrased. For example, giving someone ‘support’ instead of ‘help.’

“Because when you tell people you want to ‘help’ them, they feel helpless. So instead, I suggest saying, ‘I want to support you in your healthy decision making.’”

Maybelle Center members, Allen (left) and Wendy (right), are vying for the title of 2017 Skip-Bo champ in our annual tournament held each year in our Community Room.

And that’s just the kind of support Wendy receives from our community.

“It’s been 6 or 7 years since I first came to Maybelle Center. I’ve always felt welcomed. I feel included. There is a sense of community here. That’s what I’ve been looking for all my life.

“They’ve helped me understand who I am and that I count. They’re my inspiration. I can’t even tell you how much this place means to me.”

Thank you, Wendy, for telling your story – and for teaching so many of us how to tell ours.

Originally published as part of our 2017 Annual Report.