Meet Natasha, one of our youth advisors

Meet Natasha, one of our youth advisors

Natasha Baechler was born in Ottawa and spent most of her childhood in the small town of Russell. A dancer since the age of three, Natasha enjoyed playing piano and starring in elementary school productions of musicals, such as Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz.  

The first two years of high school found Natasha playing soccer and teaching dance lessons to others. Unfortunately, all that felt normal began to fade during the summer following grade ten. It was then, Natasha says, “that I got sick.”

Stomach pains and nausea resulted in monthly visits to CHEO’s Emergency Department, followed by numerous tests and appointments with specialists. In December of 2018, Natasha, then 17, was admitted to hospital for two weeks. Losing weight and unable to hold down food, Christmas was spent being fed through a nasogastric tube and trying to regain her strength. 

During 2019, Natasha was admitted to hospital three more times. Two month long stays in the medical unit were followed by three months as a patient in the eating disorders inpatient treatment program. Once discharged, Natasha attended a day treatment program for four months and, “With the help of CHEO’s wonderful teachers.” graduated from high school.

Now 19, Natasha has just finished her first year of Nutrition Sciences studies at the University of Ottawa. Plans to become a pediatric dietician have been guided by her own experience with an eating disorder, and the influence of those who helped her.

“I found that in hospital my dieticians helped me the most. I would like to be that person for someone else.”

Her role as a member of CHEO’s Youth Forum, starting in January 2019, provided the experience needed to become a youth partner on the 1Call1Click.ca Working Table, helping to plan what this essential service would look like.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to help youth struggling with their mental health. Especially since I can relate.” 

A member since August 2020, Natasha has found the opportunity to share her opinions and personal story at meetings, along with other youth, to be extremely gratifying.

“The 1Call1Click.ca Working Table really valued the voices of youth. It was a great chance to be heard and to make change that really reflected what the youth in our regions actually need to improve their mental health.”

Natasha feels that she has already learned so much being part of the 1Call1Click.ca Working Table,

“As a youth I did not even know that there was a system out there that could support me. I hope that the existence of 1Call1Click.a serves to create awareness of what exists to support kids and youth in their own communities.” 

She also hopes that 1Call1Click.ca helps to normalize the existence of mental health and addiction services in the communities it serves and beyond.

“I prefer to look at mental health as a journey and not a struggle. We all naturally go through ups and downs in our lives, and we should normalize this and learn to care for our mental health in the same way that we care for our physical health .”