A woman from Solon is walking across Iowa on old Highway 6 to help bring awareness to mental health issues.
This is the second year Karen Smith has taken the trek across the state. She walked through West Liberty on Wednesday, June 28. She ended that day in Atalissa. On Thursday, June 29, she walked through Wilton and Durant.
“I just kind of wanted to make a loud statement (about mental health issues),” Smith said about walking across the state.
Both of Smith’s sons have struggled with anxiety and depression.
“My oldest son was diagnosed at a very young age with generalized anxiety disorder,” Smith said.
Eventually, that led her oldest son to harm himself.
“My youngest son started to struggle with anxiety kind of at the beginning of high school but then at 16 was in a traumatic car accident, which completely turned his life upside down,” Smith said.
Her youngest son was taking classes at Kirkwood Community College’s regional center in Coralville. On his way there a motorcyclist pulled out in front of him colliding with his car. The motorcyclist ended up dying from the injuries sustained in that accident, Smith said. “And so imagine being 16 and having something like that happen,” she added. “It was completely devastating and life-changing for him.”
Her youngest son was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and became depressed after the accident, Smith said.
Smith’s husband also has anxiety and depression, she added.
The idea to walk across Iowa to raise awareness for mental health issues came to her in 2021. Her oldest son had a set back and was admitted to a psych ward for two nights in the hospital because he was self-harming himself.
Smith asked herself why her oldest son hadn’t reached out to her for help. She said it was because he felt ashamed and the stigma of having mental health issues. She decided to do the walk to let others know they aren’t’ alone when dealing with mental health issues.
“It’s still very taboo to talk about with everybody else,” Smith said. “That’s kind of why I needed to do something big.”
During the pandemic people started talking about mental health issues because they were isolated but Smith feels discussing this issue with others could be better.
“So that people aren’t so scared to come forward and say ‘I’m struggling. I need help. I don’t know what to do,’” Smith said.
Smith has a blog on Facebook called “MMMH Walk Across Iowa.” She started her blog last year before her first walk across the state. She wanted to give people an insight of what it is like to live with mental health issues.
“It was also to help people identify with our story and not feel so alone in their struggle so they could connect with somebody else,” Smith said.
Fundraising for national and local mental health non-profits was also added but Smith didn’t want it to be the focus of why she was walking she added.
Smith is raising money for Foundation 2 Crisis Services in Cedar Rapids, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank in Iowa City and the “I’m Glad You Stayed” national project.
Smith also has a gofundme page called MMMH Walk Across Iowa for Mental Health Awareness for people to make donations to.
She will end her walk at Centennial Park in Davenport this weekend.