Last week, Allen & Allen paid a visit to the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation in Richmond. This charitable organization works to cultivate awareness and understanding around teenage anxiety and depression. Its namesake, Cameron K. Gallagher, was a teen who faced her own battles with anxiety and depression. Her dream was to create a race in her community to raise awareness about this prevalent issue. She knew that speaking up about mental health was instrumental in eliminating stigma.
While planning the “SpeakUp5k,” Cameron decided to set a personal running goal for herself. She completed the Shamrock Half Marathon on March 16, 2014. Unfortunately, an undiagnosed heart condition caused a cardiac arrhythmia that took her life after she crossed the finish line. In her honor, her family not only finished organizing the SpeakUp5k Cameron was working on, but they created a foundation in her name.
In support of the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation, attorney Jennifer Capocelli presented a $1,000 check to the organization’s founder (and Cameron’s mother) Grace Gallagher. Their website is an incredible resource for teens struggling with mental illness. It features a suite of wellness journals with activities, a resource library, mental wellness toolkits, and a free webinar series designed to connect people for mutual support. The Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation also helps teens kickstart “SpeakUp Clubs” at local schools, so that their peers have a safe place to express their feelings. This is all in addition to the SpeakUp5k, which is now an annual event.
The check was presented on behalf of Allen & Allen Cares: Helping Our Heroes. This community giving program connects former Allen & Allen Hometown Heroes with grants to aid their local nonprofits. Grace Gallagher was honored in 2016 for persevering through her family’s loss and giving back to the community, just as her daughter would have wanted her to.
