Latest news with #Down
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Injunction granted restraining Gavin Pepper from filming home of Pepper Finance boss
An interim injunction has been granted against a far-right councillor restraining him from filming and besetting the home of the head of debt firm Pepper Finance Corporation (Ireland) Ltd DAC. The High Court injunctions against Independent Dublin city councillor Gavin Pepper (who has no connection to Pepper Finance) also restrain such activity against members of Ian Wigglesworth's family. The managing director has five children, including one with Down syndrome, who was visibly upset after being recently filmed playing outside his home. The injunctions also prohibit Mr Pepper from obstructing, harassing, threatening, pursuing or intimidating Mr Wigglesworth and his family, who live in a Dublin housing estate. Cllr Pepper, of Plunkett Green, Finglas, Dublin, must also remove social media posts which contain video footage taken outside Mr Wigglesworth's home. READ MORE Brian Conroy SC, for Mr Wigglesworth and Pepper Finance, said Cllr Pepper has a well established association with the far right and social media posts promoting far-right ideas. This injunction application, brought on a one-side-only represented (ex parte) basis, was urgent in the context of recent events, he said, adding that his clients were concerned about the possibility of such events becoming more serious. Mr Wigglesworth, in a sworn statement, said Cllr Pepper has engaged in a series of threats and acts of intimidation against him and Pepper Finance. On July 25th, he arrived at Mr Wigglesworth's family home, set up a video camera with tripod and began filming his family, including his son with Down syndrome. It was particularly distressing that Cllr Pepper sought to disparage his son in a recent social media post which was published on X, Facebook and Instagram, he said. A second defendant in the case is David Rafferty, of Plunkett Green in Finglas, Dublin, who holds a mortgage account with Pepper has admitted to disseminating personal information about Mr Wigglesworth, including his address. He is sued arising from the sequence of events that followed but there was no application for an injunction against him. Cllr Pepper has published a total of 14 social media posts in relation to Mr Wigglesworth and his company. The posts are offensive, defamatory, threatening and replete with misinformation, Mr Wigglesworth said. In Cllr Pepper's first post on June 12th, he signalled his intention to attend the homes of named people. On July 25th, he threatened to camp outside Mr Wigglesworth's home if he didn't 'come to the table' in relation to the interest rates Pepper Finance charges. In commentary with his posts, Cllr Pepper said he had 'all the information about the staff' at Pepper Finance and another company. This prompted threatening comments from other social media posts. Mr Justice Brian Cregan also ordered Cllr Pepper be restrained from publishing the staff's addresses. He said he would deal with the issue of extending the injunctions to Pepper Finance itself when the case returns on Thursday.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
14 LGBTQ+ disability activists who are changing the world one fight at a time
Happy Disability Pride Month! Footage still via Instagram @talialewis;; footage still via Instagram @jendeerinwater From left: Disability activists TL Lewis, Andrew Gurza, and Jen Deerinwater. There are queer disabled celebrities who are using their fame to advocate for more rights and better representation in media and shows that are starting to do a better job of including queer disabled characters, but it's the LGBTQ+ disabled activists who are fighting for years on end to help improve the lives of queer disabled people across the country. Intersectionality is so important, and these queer and disabled activists and advocates have a deep and intrinsic understanding of just how true that is. So to celebrate Disability Pride Month, which coincides with the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we're shouting out the trailblazing activists who have spent their careers fighting for the rights of the queer and disabled communities. Nicole Adler Nicole Adler has been a trailblazer since she was a teenager. At just 19 years old, she was the youngest governor-appointed council member to serve on the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. As a gay woman with Down syndrome, she has spent her life as a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ and disability communities. Then, at 29, she made history again as the first San Francisco Pride Community Grand Marshal with Down syndrome in 2024. 'It's a huge honor to represent both the disability and LGBTQ communities. I get to carry the torch and show others that anything is possible if you believe in yourself,' Adler said at the Pride celebration that hosted over 400,000 attendees, KGET reported. Corbett O'TooleCorbett O'Toole Corbett O'Toole has been a disability rights activist since the '70s, when she helped to run the Disabled Women's Coalition and worked as a staff member at the Center for Independent Living. O'Toole, who calls herself a 'queer disabled elder,' was a pioneer in the disability rights movement, including being one of the participants of the 25-day-long 504 Sit-In, where disability activists stormed into the federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which resulted in the Carter administration signing the 504 regulations which prohibited entities receiving federal funds from discriminating against disabled people. She has continued her work as an activist and advocate in the decades since and in 2016 wrote Fading Scars: My Queer Disability History. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu Morénike Giwa Onaiwu is a disabled nonbinary woman of color who focuses her activism work on autism and HIV advocacy, and disability justice and inclusion. She is an editor of All the Weight of Our Dreams, an anthology of art and writing by Austin people of color, and is the founder and principal consultant of Advocacy Without Borders, a grassroots non-profit collaborative offering capacity development, research, DEIA activities, and related projects. She also serves as a public appointee on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Center, which is the US federal advisory committee on autism, and was also the first Black executive board of directors member of both the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network and Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network. Jen Deerinwater As a journalist and founder of Crushing Colonialism — an organization dedicated to uplifting indigenous voices — Jen Deerinwater's activism is deeply rooted in her identity as a disabled, Two-Spirit, disabled Cherokee woman. Deerinwater's work sheds light on the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities and the pervasive impacts of colonialism and discrimination in our society. Julia Bascom Julia Bascom is a queer autism rights activist who worked as the executive director of the Autism Self Advocacy Network from 2017 to 2023. Bascom has spent her career advocating for allowing autistic people to speak for themselves and make decisions about their health, rights, well-being, and sexual lives. During her time with ASAN, she helped to fight for disabled people's control over their own services, to save the Affordable Care Act, addressed police violence and structural racism, and fought against the school-to-prison pipeline, and against the use of electric shock devices to modify the behavior of disabled people. Bascom was one of the experts consulted to create the autistic character Julia for Sesame Street and founded the Loud Hands project that resulted in the groundbreaking anthology of essays written by autistic people, called Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking. 'Neurodiversity says people have different kinds of brains, and that's OK. But it goes a step further. People with different brains have rights. We have a right to be here,' Bascom told The 19th. 'We have a right to decide how we feel and how we should be treated. We have a right to [disability] accommodation. Neurodiversity isn't just a biological fact. It's an idea with teeth.' Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is a queer nonbinary disability activist, educator, and poet. They have been performing spoken word since 1998, and in 2001 Piepzna-Samarasinha started Browngirlworld after being frustrated by the racism that was present in queer and trans poetry spaces and the homophobia that was running rampant in the poetry scene from people of color. Piepzna-Samarasinha has published nine books, including Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement, and has written for publications like Autostraddle, Bitch, and Vice. Maxfield Sparrow Maxfield Sparrow is a transmasc autism rights activist and artist who facilitates peer support groups for autistic adults through the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, wrote The ABCs of Autism Acceptance, and edited the anthology Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words. Sparrow also participated in the flash blog campaign called Autistic People Should… which was an act of activism meant to raise alarm bells about Google's autocomplete feature that would complete that sentence with phrases like 'die,' 'be exterminated,' and 'be killed.' Lady Francesca Lady Francesca has been changing hearts and minds and challenging people's perception of drag, as the world's first Black drag queen superstar with Down syndrome. Lady Francesca is a member of the internationally renowned drag troupe Drag Syndrome, which challenges societal perceptions and promotes inclusivity within the drag community. As a member of the troupe, Lady Francesca is helping to advocate for disability awareness and celebrate the beauty, diversity, and limitless possibilities of artistic expression. Andrew Gurza Andrew Gurza, who has cerebral palsy and came out as gay when they were 15, is a disability awareness consultant and activist who has spent their career focused on the intersection of disability and sexuality. Gurza has written about the need for disability-inclusive sex education, ableism in the queer community, and the barriers to healthcare faced by disabled people that can impact access to STI testing, in publications like HuffPost, Everyday Feminism, Men's Health, Out, and them. Gurza is also well known for starting the #DisabledPeopleAreHot hashtag on X (formerly Twitter), and was featured in the documentary Picture This, which follows Gurza as they plan the Second Annual Deliciously Disabled Sex Positive Fully Accessible Play Party. In 2016, Garza started the podcast Disability After Dark, which focuses on disability and sexuality and has been going strong for more than 300 episodes now. TL Lewis TL Lewis is a Black queer disabled nonbinary artist and activist. Lewis has been working for the last two decades to abolish the medical-carceral-impoverishment industrial complex, show the links between ableism and all other forms of oppression and violence, and build solidarity across multiply-marginalized communities. Lewis also founded HEARD, an organization run by deaf and disabled people who are supporting and advocating for deaf/disabled incarcerated people, and is one of the only people in the world who has worked on the wrongful conviction cases of deaf/disabled people. Eli Clare Eli Clare is a genderqueer, trans man with cerebral palsy who is an activist, advocate, and author who works on the intersections between race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and environmental justice and imagines a world without psych wards, group homes, and nursing homes. His books Brilliant Imperfection: Grappling with Cure, Exile and Pride, and The Marrow's Telling are so well regarded they are used in classrooms across the country. Clare has also coordinated a rape prevention program, helped organize the first-ever Queerness and Disability Conference, and traveled through the U.S. and Canada, giving speeches and teaching. Cal Montgomery Andrew Dell'Antonio Cal Montgomery is a trans, autistic, physically disabled activist and nonspeaking adult who writes and fights against institutionalized abuse of disabled youth, the need for greater support for students with cognitive disabilities, and for arming disabled kids with the skills to help them reduce their risk of harm when they are out in the world. Noor Pervez As a former student organizer turned LGBTQ+ educator, community organizer, and public speaker, Muslim nonbinary activist Noor Pervez focuses his efforts on the intersections of disability, race, gender identity, sexuality, and religion. Noor is the Community Engagement Manager for the Autism Self Advocacy Network, and is on the board as an accessibility leader at Masjid al Rabia, a queer, trans, and woman-centered and led mosque. Noor is also in the process of making an Easy Read translation of the Holy Qu'ran, designed to make learning about Islam accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Finn Gardiner Finn Gardiner is a queer, Black disability activist and community organizer. Gardiner is the director of policy and advocacy at the Autistic People of Color Fund, and was part of the 2016 White House Forum on LGBT and Disability Issues and the 2019 United Nations World Autism Day event. He has focused his activism around antiracism and the intersection of gender, sexuality and disability where he fights for inclusive education, competitive and integrated employment, accessible technology, cognitive accessibility, housing justice, and community living. This article originally appeared on Pride: 14 LGBTQ+ disability activists who are changing the world one fight at a time RELATED 17 disabled LGBTQ+ celebrities who are changing Hollywood
IOL News
7 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
Could gene editing help prevent Down syndrome? Insights into CRISPR's potential
Many families and advocates express concerns about retaining the inherent beauty and value of diversity, fearing that efforts to "delete" a condition might overshadow the vibrant personalities and lives of those who embody it. Image: Cliff Booth/pexels Imagine a world where the very building blocks of our DNA could be gently edited, removing what brings suffering, without erasing what makes us uniquely human. That's exactly the kind of future scientists are now daring to explore, thanks to a new breakthrough in gene editing that has the medical community buzzing with hope and raising some tough questions. Editing out the extra chromosome Recently, researchers at Mie University in Japan accomplished something that, until now, was only the stuff of science fiction: they used a tool called CRISPR-Cas9 to remove the extra copy of chromosome 21 from cells affected by Down syndrome. Their findings, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, could mark the start of a new era in how we think about treating (and maybe even preventing) this common genetic condition. 'We designed our CRISPR system to target the extra chromosome without affecting the normal pair,' explained Dr Ryotaro Hashizume, the project's lead scientist. 'Our goal was to remove the surplus material and see whether the cell's gene expression returned to typical levels.' What is Down syndrome? We've all heard of Down syndrome, but what actually causes it? In simple terms, it happens when a person is born with three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. This extra genetic material disrupts the body's usual blueprint, leading to a variety of challenges, from intellectual disabilities and heart defects to higher risks of Alzheimer's disease and other health conditions. Down syndrome, commonly associated with an intellectual disability, arises when a person is born with three copies of chromosome 21 rather than the usual two, leading to various developmental challenges Image: Google DeepMind/pexels Three main types of Down syndrome exist: Trisomy 21 (the most common): Every cell in the body has an extra chromosome 21. Mosaic Down syndrome: Only some cells have the extra copy, leading to milder symptoms. Translocation Down syndrome: The extra chromosome attaches to a different chromosome, which affects how symptoms appear. Down syndrome is more common than many realise, affecting about 1 in 700 babies born in the world, according to the CDC. While the chance increases with maternal age, most babies with Down syndrome are actually born to younger mothers, simply because they have more children overall. How does CRISPR work its magic? CRISPR-Cas9 is often called 'genetic scissors'. It can cut DNA at precise spots, allowing scientists to remove, repair, or add genetic material. In the Mie University study, researchers programmed CRISPR to specifically target and cut the extra chromosome 21 in both stem cells and mature skin cells from people with Down syndrome. Following the removal of the extra chromosome, the cells behaved more like typical cells: Their growth improved. They produced fewer harmful byproducts (linked to cell ageing). Genes related to brain development became more active. This aligns with decades of research published in the National Institutes of Health showing that the extra chromosome 21 interferes with normal development. What could this mean for people with Down syndrome? If this technology ever leaves the lab, it could be revolutionary. Imagine therapies where a person's own cells are edited and returned to their body, potentially improving heart health, boosting brain function, and reducing the risk of early-onset Alzheimer's. But (and it's a big but), we're not there yet. According to Hashizume, this technique is not yet ready for use in hospitals or in routine medical practice. But it sets a new benchmark for what CRISPR can do, not just editing single genes, but removing entire chromosomes. Any conversation about 'deleting' a genetic condition sparks strong feelings. What does it mean to change something so fundamental? Some families and advocates worry about losing the beauty and value in diversity, including the lives and personalities of people with Down syndrome. And while prenatal screening has made Down syndrome rare in some countries, the global conversation is just beginning: Should we use science to eliminate a condition, or focus on making life better for people who live with it? As we watch this story unfold, one thing is certain: the future of health, wellness, and genetics will be shaped not just by labs and scientists, but by all of us, families, advocates, and a world still learning to celebrate differences.
Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irishman told he'd never cycle again after spine injury takes on 640km challenge
Eight years after a life-changing spinal injury, Conor O'Dea is proving what's possible one kilometre at a time as he embarks on a massive cycle - all in the name of charity. When Limerick man Conor was seriously injured in a cycling accident in 2017, he never imagined he'd one day return to one of Ireland's toughest charity bike events. But this August, alongside his carer Paula and a custom-built trike, he's doing precisely that, taking on the Tour de Munster Challenge to raise funds for Down Syndrome Ireland. 'They told me I wouldn't cycle again, but that was never going to be the end of the story,' says Conor. 'Life didn't end. It just changed.' Now in its 25th year, the Tour de Munster is a four-day, 640km charity cycle through all six counties of Munster. Conor has taken part both before and after his injury and says the event holds deep personal meaning. 'After the accident, getting back on the road with a trike and feeling the wind in my face, it was nearly emotional,' he recalls. 'Tour de Munster was always a goal for me. The camaraderie, the people, the welcome in every town, it's a family.' Since his injury, Conor has raised close to €200,000 for charities including Spinal Injuries Ireland, Millimetre 2 Mountains, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Greenmount Cycling Academy, Down Syndrome Limerick and the Tour de Munster Charitable Foundation. Joining him on the Tour this year will be his Care team, headed by Paula O'Keeffe, Bluebird Care Limerick, who first met Conor at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. 'He was lying in a hospital bed, saying, 'I'm going to get out of this bed. I'm going to walk.' And I just thought, okay, let's try,' she says. Paula hadn't cycled a bike in 15 years, but after meeting Conor, she signed up for her first triathlon. 'He even inspired me to do that,' she laughs. 'We push each other on. I get just as much out of it as he does.' Young Charie Tuffy with Limerick man Conor O'Dea and his custom-built trike at City Hall, Limerick ahead of the 2025 Tour de Munster, supported by Bluebird Care in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland. They are pictured with Ellen Tuffy, Down Syndrome Limerick, Mark McInerney , Bluebird Care Ireland and Paula O'Keefe. (Image: Eamon Ward) Conor says their teamwork is what makes this year's Tour so meaningful. 'We've trained together, laughed through the tough days, and now we'll ride together. That means a lot.' Ellen Tuffy, committee member at Down Syndrome Limerick, said, 'Conor is a beacon of hope and determination. 'His achievements, both physical and mental, are truly extraordinary. He embodies the powerful message that disability does not equate to inability, a belief we hold strongly at Down Syndrome Limerick. 'Conor's journey continues to inspire our members with Down syndrome, showing them that they, too, can challenge and overcome the stereotypes often imposed by society. The unwavering support from Paula and the Bluebird team throughout his journey has been equally uplifting, demonstrating the profound impact that genuine care and belief can have on someone's potential'. Young Charie Tuffy with Limerick man Conor O'Dea and his custom-built trike at City Hall, Limerick ahead of the 2025 Tour de Munster, supported by Bluebird Care in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland. They are pictured with Ellen Tuffy, Down Syndrome Limerick and Paula O'Keefe. (Image: Eamon Ward) The team is supported by Bluebird Care, who provide nurse-led, premium homecare services across Ireland. Conor credits their help and Paula's unwavering support with enabling his continued recovery and independence. 'From the very first time Paula came to see me at the NRH, Bluebird Care have been exceptional,' he says. 'And any time I get a wild idea like Cambodia or another Tour, Paula's the first person I call.' Bluebird Care is also donating towards Conor's Tour de Munster ride, with all funds redirected to Down Syndrome Ireland's six Munster branches. At Bluebird Care, we believe in ability, resilience, and the power of human connection and Conor and Paula represent all of that and more. Their journey is a shining example of what's possible when compassion meets determination. We are proud to stand behind them as they take on the Tour de Munster, and we encourage everyone to support their remarkable efforts in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland' Mark McInerney, COO, Bluebird Care Ireland. The Tour de Munster takes place from August 7 to 10, with over 120 cyclists participating in support of families and individuals with Down syndrome across the province. Conor's fundraising page for this year's Tour de Munster can be found here. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Health
- USA Today
Nearly half of parents with disabled kids report suicidal thoughts, but can't find help
Editor's note: This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at When Angie Scheu needs a few minutes to herself, she escapes to her back porch in Westerville, Ohio, to sit and listen to birds chirping. She gazes at her bushy basil plant in its large pot and her aging McIntosh apple tree in the yard. She tells herself her feelings of overwhelm are temporary, though she knows the chaos that comes with motherhood is part of the deal. She always wanted to be a mom. She loves her three daughters: Evelyn, 17; Sophia, 14; and her youngest, 4-year-old Rachel, who was born with Down syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scheu, 44, said she's had thoughts of suicide three times: once 30 years ago, again in 2021 and most recently in the fall of 2024. In those moments, she wondered: "Am I better off gone?" 'It usually follows a period of catastrophizing,' Sheu said. 'It usually just follows a period of feeling hopeless and helpless and just not sure what to do, and not feeling like I have any answers.' An estimated 4.3% of the U.S. population experiences suicidal thoughts, according to the CDC, but among caregivers, rates of suicidal ideation can surpass the general population. Reports of suicidal thoughts were found to be highest in parents of disabled children (42%), veterans' caregivers (23.6%) and dementia caregivers (32%). Experts have been sounding the alarm for several years, but because caregivers are focused on those they care for, they are often less likely to seek help. Among parents of disabled children who experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors while caring, more than half (53%) had never disclosed these thoughts or experiences to anyone, according to a 2024 study. 'A lot of people who are caregivers feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed, because they feel like they should be caring for the person,' said Wendy Martinez Farmer, VP of 988 Strategy, Grants and Clinical Standards. 'But we need to normalize the conversation that these feelings that you're having, the feeling trapped and frustrated and sometimes angry, is very normal.' Scheu has never had a plan to harm herself, and said she's always been able to talk herself out of her thoughts of suicide within a day. She's only told her mom and her husband about these thoughts, but withheld details. She doesn't want her family to worry. "There's no reason for alarm," she said. In an ideal world, Scheu said she'd go back to therapy — but for now, that's not an option. Adult caregivers report worse mental health outcomes, but often 'forgo their own wellbeing' Factors that can increase the risk of suicidal ideation among caregivers include pre-existing mental health struggles that are exacerbated by high care burdens, exhaustion, social isolation, feelings of stress and entrapment, preemptive grief and post-loss financial hardship. Losing the person you cared for can also lead to feelings of purposelessness, a risk factor among the general population as well. His sick wife asked him to kill her. Now that she's gone, he says the loneliness is worse. 'Many of the things that caregivers experience are those very things that we're concerned about when we think about risk factors for suicide,' Farmer said. In a 2016 study, more than half of hospice and palliative social workers (55.4%) reported having worked with one or more caregivers who exhibited warning signs of suicide. During the pandemic, 30.7% of self-reported unpaid caregivers for adults seriously considered suicide, compared to 10.7% of the general population. Adult caregivers also reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes and increased substance use. However, caregivers often do not have enough time to 'rest, recover and take care of their personal needs,' which can lead them to 'forgo their own wellbeing,' said Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, the co-founder and CEO of Wellthy, a care coordination service for caregivers. 'Sometimes being a mom means that your needs come last,' Scheu said. 'I think that's something just about every mom can shake her head yes to.' Farmer said feelings of shame can contribute to caregivers' hesitance to discuss suicidal thoughts. 'When you're caring for people, people will call you a hero. And heroes don't ask for help, right? We need to change that narrative. In order to be healthy enough to care for the person that you love, you have to take care of yourself,' Farmer said. Financial barriers keep caregivers from seeking mental health help Caregivers often call the 988 helpline on behalf of someone else, such as a mother calling to get resources for her child, according to Farmer. In those conversations, the caregiver's own mental health challenges can come up, too. While access to crisis support is lifesaving, Jurist-Rosner challenges the idea that talk therapy is the only gold standard for supporting caregivers. Rather, it's one component of a larger equation. Jurist-Rosner said tangible support to alleviate some of the demands of caregiving — such as financial support and relief from administrative tasks — is crucial. 'If you're feeling physically overwhelmed and time-starved, and you're worried about your financial future and putting food on the table because the cost of care is so hard, does spending an hour with a therapist change any of that?' she said. Scheu said she went to online therapy in 2023, after the stress of parenthood led her to give up her professional dream and close her sustainable home goods store. But when she used up the limited sessions her husband's health insurance paid for, she couldn't continue. 'We needed to use our funds and our HSA account for other things,' she said. Her daughters have myriad health conditions and require frequent doctor visits. Shari Turner, Chief Health Officer at the Crisis Text Line, worries Medicaid cuts may disproportionately impact caregivers. 'Those are going to impact the care of the underserved,' she said. 'And many caregivers are relying on Medicaid to support or supplement the people they're caring for.' More: They don't need Medicaid. But their kids do. Financial stress, social isolation are a 'perfect storm' for male caregivers While the majority of America's caregivers are women, more men are taking on caregiving roles and being more active parents than ever before. With that added responsibility comes added stress, and some men are struggling. But they don't want to talk about it, said Gary Barker, CEO and president of Equimundo, a nonprofit organization dedicated to gender equality and violence prevention. According to the nonprofit's State of American Men 2025 report which surveyed nearly 2,500 people, 86% of men and 77% of women say being a provider defines manhood. Men facing financial strain are 16 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts, while women facing financial strain are seven times more likely to report suicidal thoughts. The financial stress and social isolation many male caregivers feel is a "perfect storm," Barker said. But men are "far less likely to seek help," he said. Americans don't do a good job of teaching young boys and men how to deal with their feelings and practice mindfulness, Barker added. But it "really pays off if we do." 'I think those are the men who probably step back when they could get to the edge of causing harm to themselves or somebody else," Barker said. 'There are too many people that rely on me.' Scheu works part time at a nonprofit. She works mostly nights and weekends so she can care for her girls during the day. Her days are filled with worry. Worry about her daughters' health, worry about her family's budget. 'It's easy to catastrophize,' she said. 'I try not to allow myself to go down that path anymore... there are too many people that rely on me.' Her front door is adorned with a sign that reads, 'Welcome to Camp Chaos.' Inside, Rachel's toys litter the floor and her squeals of delight fill the air. But on her back porch, Scheu finds stillness. She goes back to reminding herself: 'This is temporary.' Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach Madeline at memitchell@ and @maddiemitch_ on X.
