HR0894 LRB093 22044 KEF 50600 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to recognize Kristy Worthen of Salem,
4 Arkansas on her efforts to raise public awareness of mental
5 illness throughout the United States; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Kristy Worthen is a professional artist, public
7 speaker, and mental health advocate; she suffered from bipolar
8 disorder for seven years before she was finally properly
9 diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness; she has been
10 in the wellness stage for the past three years thanks to access
11 to the new lines of medication that are available today; and
 
12     WHEREAS, She is currently touring the 50 States on a
13 "Shedding Light Tour" to increase awareness of mental health
14 issues and to help erase the stigma of mental illness; she has
15 designed and hand painted a five-foot by nine foot "Mental
16 Health Flag"; the flag has a picture of a lighthouse on one
17 side with a beam of light shining out over the water and the
18 inscription, "Shedding Light On Mental Health Issues"; and
 
19     WHEREAS, When Arkansas Lt. Governor Winthrop Rockfeller
20 heard Kristy's story, he was so impressed with the meaning the
21 flag symbolized that he took it to the National Lieutenant
22 Governors Association (NLGA) meeting and asked them to fly the
23 Mental Health Flag one day at each state capitol to focus
24 attention on mental health issues; the NLGA has adopted this as
25 one of its projects and now Kristy Worthen and the mental
26 health flag are currently on tour visiting each state capitol
27 to fly her flag; therefore, be it
 
28     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
29 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
30 proclaim May 11, 2004, "Kristy Worthen Mental Health Day" and
31 urge Illinois residents to help promote awareness of mental

 

 

HR0894 - 2 - LRB093 22044 KEF 50600 r

1 illness and the importance of diagnosis and treatment; and be
2 it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 presented to Kristy Worthen as a token of our respect and
5 esteem.