Julie Skippon, Gibsons latest Golden Girl, is a testament to what effect an exemplary person can have on a community.
In the 25 years that Skippon has lived on the Coast, she has been involved in many organizations. At the top of the list is her work on behalf of folks with mental health issues. Skippon's interest in the field came about when both her sons were diagnosed with schizophrenia in young adulthood.
Bruce, the elder of the two, was diagnosed in his early 20s. He was then a hard rock miner in northern Ontario saving money to further his education. Bruce had just bought a motorcycle and used it to visit his sister in B.C. On the way home, a truck turned in front of him and he ended up flipping in the air and coming down on his head. His helmet, the strongest made, sustained a large crack in the crash. Soon after was when his symptoms began to manifest themselves.
And while the causes of schizophrenia are still not completely pinned down by the medical profession, both genetics and stress (physical and/or mental) appear to play a role in the disease. Often manifested in young adults, the onset can be subtle, building up over months.
At the time, the Skippons lived in North Bay, Ontario.
"We couldn't get any help for our son. We wanted to make changes to the way people look at mental illness, to make people aware of the people with the illness, not just the illness," Skippon said. "The saddest part [of schizophrenia] is the loneliness. [The ill] want to be friends with ordinary people. They want to play a game of golf, tennis or other sports. A lot of them have skills they haven't used for years."
And after 30-plus years of living with the illness, Skippon has seen both the best and the most questionable care medical professionals have to offer. Sometimes, she said, doctors will insist that family members get the ill relative to sign a release allowing access to the patient's records. In Skippon's estimation, that's a problem for family members trying to get care for their loved ones. Each time the sick person does not take their medication and has a psychotic episode, Skippon said, the level of recovery is less. She stressed that early intervention can make a world of difference to the patient.
Skippon has been a member of the local schizophrenia society for many years. She sat on the provincial board for 15 years, and for six years she was part of the provincial mental health advisory committee.
And like the other stellar Golden Girls, Skippon finds time to be part of many other groups. She's an artist and is part of the Roving Artists group. She laughed that the name was a misnomer.
"We wanted to be the Roving Painters, but were worried that people would mistake us for house painters," she chuckled.
Skippon is also part of the Gibsons Public Art Gallery, a staunch member of St. Bart's Anglican Church and belongs to the Gibsons Landing Heritage Society. And over the years, she's been part of Scottish folk dancing and Toastmasters.
She's also close to her family. Two daughters live in B.C., one daughter remains in Toronto, and both sons also live in B.C. Family visits are a highlight for the sprightly woman.
It's hard to believe looking at her that she had her 80th birthday this past March. She is in great health. She believes in the benefits of exercise and walking, and Skippon is an avid gardener. You would be hard pressed to find a more gracious, well-rounded person.
Although she had a hard time believing she had been chosen as Golden Girl 2010, anyone who knows her won't have a moment's doubt but that she personifies all the award symbolizes. Skippon wears the title well.
