Platinum Musician and Radio Personality Come Together for Benefit Concert and Silent Auction
Concert planned to generate funds so Lee Edwards may get essential mental health and head injury rehabilitation not provided by current mental health funding, to reduce his dependence on others and overcome the combined effects of mental illness, traumatic brain injury and substance abuse recovery.
TheWilltoLive.org - April 01, 2008
Lee Edwards and his sister Sherry, who's organizing the benefit.
Rebeca and David Randle, vocalist and guitarist respectively, will perform at the benefit concert.
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(PRNewsChannel) / San Diego, Calif. - No matter what Lee Edwards’ challenging journey in life, his determination to survive against insurmountable odds is mirrored only by his sister’s unfailing love and support. Challenged by childhood abuse, sexual trauma, alcoholism, schizophrenia, and a traumatic brain injury received while homeless, Lee’s life had begun slipping through the cracks of the Mental Health system.
Just a few short years ago Lee was a statistic among those individuals lost to treatment – homeless, and on the streets. As one of a large group of individuals, with both mental illness and head injury, Lee was directly affected by the mental health care crisis that is ballooning across the United States.
Considered a hopeless case by many mental health professionals, Lee was denied important and life saving service. Yet, through the persistent advocacy of his sister, Sherry, some preliminary treatment services were obtained for Lee and he was soon exceeding all clinical and medical expectations.
Lee is now applying his determined will to live to his wish for a stable and fully productive lifestyle. The treatment for Lee’s head injury is critical to this final phase of rehabilitation. To continue progressing toward a more normal and meaningful life, and to achieve his goal of full stabilization of his mental illness and growing sobriety, he needs the therapeutic interventions of Vinland Center (www.vinlandcenter.org)
The program at Vinland Center helps people like Lee to understand and deal with the effect the head injury on his emotional and cognitive states. The skills Lee learns will help him to handle his mental illness, deal with traumatic history and stabilize his sobriety.
According to Susan Hanson of the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, the increasing problem of head injury complicated by mental illness is a challenge that society is already being pressed to address more effectively. It goes beyond the need for funding. Treating the complications of co-occurring head injury and mental illnesses requires collaboration among groups and the public sector, to create effective treatments for affected individuals.
The Vinland Center program includes a 45-day intensive brain trauma and substance abuse treatment. Lee would also require months of extended stay vocational and community living and rehabilitation. Add to this the cost of airfare and personal essentials and unfortunately for Lee, the cost for his rehabilitation stretches beyond the family’s ability to pay.
When San Diego’s professional vocalist and guitarist duo, Rebeca and David Randle learned of Lee’s plight, they offered to help Sherry initiate the Lee Edwards Will-to-Live Benefit Concert and Silent Auction.
Scheduled to be held April 19th at 7:00pm, the Concert and Auction includes performances by The Randles, and special guest platinum music artist Ellis Hall, who is known for his performances with symphonies on the National Tour of A Tribute To Ray Charles.
Sam Bass, KYXY Radio personality is Master of Ceremonies for the Evening. The event is sponsored by The Foundation For A Healing Among Nations, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people impacted by trauma, assisting their return to mental health and self-sufficiency. The San Diego Brain Injury Foundation is also lending support, along with local and regional volunteers.
Lee has learned how to overcome huge amounts of adversity, including surviving cancer in the summer of 2007. Meeting Lee through his story and pictures, it is easy to be touched by the inspiration he evokes to be all of who we truly really are, under any circumstances.
Come join the Lee Edwards Will-to-Live Benefit Concert and Silent Auction, starting with a VIP Reception at 6:15 PM at the Institute of the Americas on UCSD Campus - 10111 N. Torrey Pines Rd – Pangea Drive on Campus.
This Benefit is the inaugural event of the Will To Live Foundation that will be a treatment center and resource for services to individuals who fall outside the reach of mainstream mental health and social services.
To purchase tickets for the Lee Edwards Will to Live Concert go to: www.LeesRecovery.com.
Tickets are $25 if purchased before the concert date and $40 at the door.
Tickets for a special VIP Reception to meet the artists and musicians are $100.
Read more about Lee’s story, and be inspired by Lee’s eternal light that can inspire us all.
www.LeesRecovery.com
Contact: Sherry Edwards
Phone: (858) 442-9205
Email:
Web site: www.thewilltolive.org
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Source Web Site: TheWilltoLive.org
