
It is the 10th anniversary on the loss of our beautiful Lisa. She was loving, forgiving and always lit up a room when she entered by her beautiful smile and glowing personality. She had compassion and caring for everyone.
Her precious life was cut short through domestic violence The pain from her loss never ends yet we have to internalize it for the sake of her nieces and nephew whom she never got to meet. She was robbed of the chance to enjoy a life with family and friends and realize her dream of marrying and having children of her own. Family was everything to her. At all our family celebrations we toast her and speak of her so the family members who did not get to meet her know how special she was.
Yet through the darkness of dealing with her passing and the trauma of the trial, a light shone bright, helping us cope with her loss. That light was the creation of the Lisa Harnum Foundation by Aileen Mountfield and a group of caring, dedicated individuals who chose to take a negative and make it a positive.
They have done, and continue to do, such amazing things to help those in abusive relationship in Lisa’s name. Building shelters, providing counselling, changing laws, going into schools to make this behaviour known to kids and break the cycle of abuse; the list is long and very impressive. We are eternally grateful to them and know she is smiling down on them. She was a beacon of light in our lives, now she is a beacon of hope to those in abusive relationships through the Foundation.

The support and resources is even more important during these trying times, when getting away from an abusive relationship is even harder due to the lockdowns. We must stay vigilant, helping whenever and however we can to provide escape and support to those who struggle on a daily basis trapped in an abusive, toxic relationship.
Remember that there is a very good chance you already know someone in this situation or will witness it through your friends or family at one time in your life. You must be their voice and their way out. You must be their light in the darkness. Do what you can either financially, emotionally or by supporting changes to laws to protect the victims and punish the perpetrators. You can make a difference.