⁣“I’ve always thought I’ve been mentally strong and tough. I had made it through living in the ghetto for most of my childhood, being homeless for a bit, to the passing of my baby brother at the hospital that has become my second home. But childhood cancer was a checkmate on my thinking.

I spent the first 3 months of my son Kaine’s diagnosis in a depressed state. Living in a hospital and barely getting sleep, dealing with anxiety for the first time in my life, getting bad news during morning rounds from the team of doctors, missing work with the students whom I love, missing time with my kids, taking the two hour drive back home from the hospital crying most of the way, putting on a brave face for my other kids so they wouldn’t have to worry, to asking people for help financially.

Life was a tornado all around me but I was lucky enough to push forward. A lot of people aren’t as lucky as I am even though I still struggle all the time. Take time for yourself, your mental health deserves it. Spreading love.” – Akili, WI

Akili's Link Look- Double Link Necklace "I also gifted my daughter a Link Before You Sink necklace as a token of my love and told her that if she ever needs to talk to me about anything with no judgement just whisper her safe word and we'll talk."