Celebrating Sedona: a journey of resilience and achievement

We are so proud that Sedona, who was once supported by Choice Care, who has won the ‘Inspirational Story’ award at this year’s The Mental Health Awards!

The Mental Health Awards celebrates the stories and achievements of people who have experienced recovery and Sedona’s story of resilience, courage and determination in the face of profound challenges is really exceptional. Despite challenging periods throughout her teenage years with time in hospital, Sedona was determined to make a positive impact.

In 2020, she launched ‘Sedona’s Care Packages’, a fundraiser to bring comfort to other mental health patients on paediatric wards. She collected donations to create packages filled with stress toys, puzzles and inspirational quote cards, spreading hope and brightness to those struggling. Alongside this, she continued to pursue her education, completing GCSEs and A-Levels independently while managing multiple hospital admissions.

In 2023 Sedona was discharged from hospital and moved into a residential living service at Ravenna Lodge, part of Choice Care and continued her remarkable journey. Supported by her care team, she completed an access course in biology, chemistry, and physics, securing a place at a Bath University to study Biomedicine. She also resumed playing tennis and shared her story on social media to raise awareness of mental health struggles.

Today, Sedona lives independently, has spoken at a TEDx event, and continues to inspire countless people with her story. She is now a medical laboratory assistant for an NHS hospital and has just started the new role for her placement year. Her goals for the future, are a testament to her incredible determination, including completing her degree, pursuing a placement year, moving into her own home, and travelling the world. We, at Choice Care, are so proud of Sedona and delighted that her remarkable journey has been recognised at these prestigious awards.