This is a story of hope, resilience and how our dear friend, Angela Mione, is turning a life-changing injury into a gift!

Angela has an acquired brain injury and through this experience has been inspired to become a coach, speaker and ‘diverse-abilty’ advocate, a term she has coined in place of ‘disability’.

Our GoFundMe initiative aims to help Angela access critical treatment that will  improve her life and will help her continue to make a difference in the lives of others experiencing a brain injury through her wellness-inspired coaching practice.

Be a part of her ´Fun Raiser’ team by making a donation and sharing this link with others who want to make a difference.

Our friend Angela
Angela is an amazingly optimistic person who always finds the positive in any situation or challenge. The last 5 years have offered its share of opportunities to see this quality show itself in her. She is a sister, a friend and a beacon of hope to many of us who have had the privilege to journey with her.

An Invisible Injury
Over 10 years ago, Angela began to notice she was having difficulty recalling conversations, faces, and her way to friends’ homes. Concerned that this symptom was related to a tremor diagnosed 20 years earlier, she consulted her neurologist. The neurologist dismissed the link and offered no solutions. Angela began to experience migraines and more notable memory loss. Work-related tasks she once completed with ease, efficiency and pride were becoming progressively more difficult.  She began to experience insomnia and sensitivity to light.  Her immune system and physical stamina declined to the point where she ended up on a long-term health leave.

Without a diagnosis, inconclusive lesions on the MRI scan of her brain, and a cognitive assessment indicating an impaired working memory, Angela was uncertain what her future would hold. Would her condition continue to deteriorate? Would she become dependent on others? Who was she if she did not have her memory, her energy, and her ability to contribute to her family, community, and colleagues? She feared the loss of her profession, her sense of identity, as memories of her life were fading. Angela felt like part of her was dying.

The Bonsai Tree
It became clear to Angela that once she regained her stamina she had to make a career change. She met with a coach to explore new ways to contribute and thrive. Angela was determined to identify and build on her strengths and prevent subsequent burnouts. When she arrived for her first session, her coach showed her his bonsai collection. Bonsai is a Japanese practice of creating the beauty of a forest in miniature. Her coach explained that the part of the bonsai tree that looks dead, much like driftwood, is actually highly prized. It is the relationship between the living and dying elements of the tree that makes it so beautiful. From that moment on Angela felt hopeful, that she could find a way to embrace all of who she is - even the parts of her that felt like they were dying. The bonsai tree became a powerful symbol of hope, resilience and beauty. With insight from family, friends and colleagues, Angela’s incredible gifts became clear: her ability to listen beyond words; to see the positive and the gift in a difficult situation; and to empower others to trust themselves. We all saw the coach in her. As she began her journey to optimize her health and overall well-being, she began her journey as a coach.



The Diagnosis
Unable to successfully treat the symptoms nor understand the cause, as a last resort, her family doctor referred Angela to a naturopathic physician to eliminate the possibility of Lyme Disease. Although Angela and her family have no recollection of her being exposed to tics or having the telltale bullseye rash, astonishingly Angela tested positive for Lyme Disease.

With the diagnosis came treatment options and new hope for recovery. At the same time, the news was overwhelming. Angela soon met other people with Lyme Disease and saw how their lives had been turned upside down from this serious, often debilitating disease.

Bouncing Back - Bouncing Forward
Angela’s life-changing journey has lead her to follow courses to become a coach. In June of 2019, Angela was certified as a trainer of Marci Shimoff’s Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy From The Inside Out. Angela has dedicated her new coaching practice to help people thrive and cultivate wellness within their lives. One such initiative is her Full Moon Gatherings. These monthly multi-sensory experiences in nature introduce people to the Japanese practice of 'forest bathing', known of Shinrin-Yoku. This practice promotes  overall health and wellbeing. 

Here is a short video of Angela introducing this practice. 
https://www.facebook.com/mione.coaching/videos/121012465617151/
 
She is also developing a program to cultivate joy and wellbeing for people with brain injuries, including those with Dementia, for their families, and the health care providers that support them. She is preparing to launch her program in January 2020.


Angela still has a long way to go in the treatment of her brain injury. With your help, she can access critical treatment.

Our fundraising goal is $10,000.
By contributing to this fundraising initiative, you are not only making a difference in Angela's life, you are helping her make a difference in the lives of people with brain injuries, their families, and the health professionals that support them.

On behalf of Angela, her family and friends, and those who will be touched by her work, we thank you.