
Cut The Bullshit- Support Artists, Women, and Families
Donation protected
Hey, I’m Mel(issa) McGuckin (Paterson) from Oshawa, Ontario.
On April 1, 2025, I’m shaving my head (no joke). Not for me personally, but for movements bigger than myself, for causes that change lives.
This is about transformation, impact, and showing up for those who need it most--those often with the quietest voices and the most overlooked.
Here’s where your support will go:
- Mental health for artists (Al & Malka Green Artists’ Health Centre - Toronto, ON): because creativity can’t thrive in silence and struggle.
- Elder abuse support (Advocacy Centre for the Elderly [ACE] - Toronto, ON): a cause close to my heart, as my family continues to live with its devastating impact firsthand.
- Women and children in Gaza (UNRWA Canada - Ottawa, ON): because their lives matter, and the world can’t afford to look away.
- Hospice care (Oak Ridges Hospice - Port Perry, ON): to honour my mother-in-law, Kathleen, whose passing didn’t just change my life, it woke me up and inspired this mission, this movement, and a version of myself who no longer apologizes for being me.
How the Funds Will Be Spent:
Every dollar raised will be split evenly among these four causes. I will receive the funds directly and distribute them to each organization via their official donation channels. To ensure full transparency, I will provide updates and receipts.
How I’m Affiliated with These Causes:
I am not directly affiliated with these organizations, but they were carefully chosen because they align with my mission and values. Each one represents a fight that is deeply personal to me, whether it’s mental health for artists, elder abuse that’s impacted my own family, or supporting women and children in Gaza. The Oak Ridges Hospice was chosen to honour my late mother-in-law, Kathleen, whose dedication to helping others continues to inspire me and everyone who knew her.
Why These Causes & Why it Matters:
I’m done. Done watching the people who need help the most get ignored, belittled, and left behind while the bullies- internal demons, corrupt governments, powerful countries, dictators, and people who see others as "less than"- thrive and tighten their grip. It’s disgusting. It’s infuriating. And I’m not here to sit on the sidelines and watch anymore. I want to take a stand, and so here I am.
This mission is about standing up for what’s right. For saying, “Not anymore.” I’m doing this by shucking societal pressure that tells women they need to look and be a certain way to be feminine, that it’s shameful to ask for help, or that it’s weird to stand and fight for causes that don’t fit into neat little boxes. Being unapologetically yourself is how real change begins.
And that's not always easy on your own. That’s why I’m asking for your help.
This isn’t just about me shaving my head. It’s about raising my voice- our voices- for the many people who can’t, don’t know how, or don’t have the family and support to stand up for themselves. It’s about proving that many small voices for good can become loud enough to be noticed. Because loud voices shake the ground. And when enough voices rise, they don’t just move mountains- they bring them crashing down.
It’s time. Time for those who do the hard, thankless work to be recognized. To get help. To feel seen. To be recognized. Time for the powerful voices doing good to rise. To drown out hate. To smash down the walls of bigotry, dishonesty, and disregard.
It’s time to start making some waves. And I’ll do that by cutting mine sheer off. So don’t leave me holding my locks with no results. Help me make a difference. Be the difference.
You want change? Then be the change. Stand with me. Let’s make the bullies shake.
Let’s make them crumble.
Let’s bring down the mountains.
And let’s make this world something worth fighting for.
You in?
Organizer
Melissa Paterson
Organizer
Oshawa, ON