Cherry-flavored lip gloss, Justin Bieber and Monopoly games that last for days. Things like these occupy the thoughts of most 10-year-old girls.
But Ella had different things on her mind: her weight, recurrent run-ins with school bullies, the way it felt to slash her forearms with paper clips and suicide.
And Ella was just 10 years old.
Can you even imagine a little girl, not yet into adolescence, living in such torment? The terrible truth is that it’s more common than you might think. At Family & Children’s Services, we help children like Ella – girls and boys who want to end their lives before they’ve really even begun – every day.
After a year of treatment, Ella adopted a healthier self-image, abandoned her suicide plan, and penned a powerful note to inspire other kids plagued by bullying and thoughts of suicide. She wrote:
“When I first started therapy, I felt the same way you do — no hope, suicidal and depressed. People probably told you before it gets better. If you were like me you wouldn’t believe it. You just thought they don’t understand. And maybe they don’t, but I do, and it does get better. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to happen overnight. But if you still have hope and you stay strong, you can get through this.”
Dark, dangerous thoughts no longer invade Ella’s mind. But other children remain at risk. Please help rescue them by making a tax-deductible gift to Family & Children’s Services today.
