Stuart
Stuart Baker-Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1996 and since then has campaigned for a greater understanding and equal rights for all sufferers of severe mental illness.
His personal experiences of the stigma and discrimination attached to his illness has led him to strive towards his campaigning, and changing attitudes towards mental illness.
Choice in mental health is important to him as his experience has given him limited choice. In the past he has felt powerless with HCP and can understand first hand how sufferers can feel helpless against the HCP as though their judgement and views are held in little value.
The new agenda drives Choice forwards, allowing sufferers like Stuart the opportunity to make their own informed choices. Stuart believes having greater choice from diagnosis onwards can only help to empower the sufferers, and enable them to work on an equal basis with their professional carers.
Stuart is well on the road to his personal recovery with schizophrenia; in 2002 he was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship and has won awards for his campaigning and voluntary work with mental health. He enjoys photography, writing and long walks with his dog Beau. Stuart is currently planning a climb of Mount Everest to help highlight that great achievements can be gained whilst living and coping with schizophrenia. You can visit Stuart’s website at one man's mountain.
