Ellen Campbell knows what it takes to start over. After a long road to healing, Campbell is here today to share her story of survival.
“I am a survivor myself of childhood sexual abuse and it messed up my life,” said Campbell, CEO and founder of Abuse Hurts.
“I ended up in a very destructive life, ended up in the psych ward, was suicidal.”
Yet through all of her pain, Campbell managed to find hope and felt the need to share her own recovery with others by founding Abuse Hurts, which has been serving Canadians since 1993.
“We are a centre that provides support for survivors of abuse,” said Campbell.
“It could be childhood abuse or later in life, sexual, physical, emotional, for men, women and children.”
Abuse Hurts is a national charity committed to accessible support, healing and empowerment for anyone touched by the trauma of abuse through programs like Delivering Hope. This is a program specifically for women and children that assists approximately 100,000 individuals every year through more than 100 agencies.
“We can help them get started in a new house,” said Campbell. “We can provide furniture, new bedding, slightly used housewares, and of course clothing – and clothing for children as well – so everything a woman needs to get started over again.”
John Derringer, from Derringer in the Morning on Q107, started 13 Days of Christmas more than ten years ago. It has raised more than $9.4 million in products and cash for Abuse Hurts.
“I wanted to do something and I wanted to try to help people out,” said Derringer.
“I met Ellen, and I knew from moment one that we could trust her with our listeners’ money, with our listeners’ faith, with our listeners’ hope.”
Campbell is appreciative for organization has received.
“Nobody was even talking about abuse, but John took us on. He made it something that people could talk about,” said Campbell.
“I just had to see somebody else that got through it. Once I saw somebody else, I knew I could do it and that is what I hope we give these women.”