Walk for Mental Health - The Wander Embodiment Sensory Experience

* Please note the address change because of the Heritage Farm Visitor Center renovation.**

🌿 **Join Us for the Walk for Mental Health – The Wander Embodiment Sensory Experience!** 🌿

Embark on a transformative journey of connection, mindfulness, and mental well-being. The event will be held **virtually all weekend long** and includes an **in-person sensory experience on Saturday, June 1, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM** at **1001 E Schaumburg Road** for a **1.5-hour immersive session** at the farm.

Take your time and engage at your own pace—join in as much as feels comfortable for you. We warmly welcome you to be part of our Wander. For the **in-person experience**, we will meet at **Heritage Farm** using the **St. Matthews entrance** at **1001 East Schaumburg Road**. Please park at the back of the lot and look for the signs that say **“The trail starts here.”**

Let’s wander together—connect with nature, embrace the present moment, and experience the power of movement, mindfulness, and community support. Whether you join virtually or in person, this is a chance to nourish your mind and body while exploring the beauty around you.

🌻 **Let’s unite to create a space for healing and connection. We look forward to sharing this journey with you!** 🌻

Join us on this Wander as we come together to support mental wellness and the strength of the community. When you register, you'll receive details about the virtual part of the Wander. This event is about building connections and understanding how both visible and invisible disabilities affect mental health.

Six years ago, I began a journey to walk 500 miles to raise awareness for HS Disease, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which affects my daughter and many others. It became a driving force in my life and inspired the creation of a Healing Walk. Over the past six years, we've walked together as a community, starting important conversations about HS and spreading awareness. Now that I've reached well over the 500-mile goal, my journey isn’t over. I'm continuing to walk forward, raising awareness for mental health and inviting friends, families, and the community to join this meaningful cause.

As we prepared for our Healing Walk for **HS** in 2022, fate brought the **ALS Walk** to the same day. This unexpected overlap became a meaningful moment for our family and others impacted by these conditions. With the shared significance of **HS** and **ALS**, we walked in honor of our mother, **Grandi**, who passed away from **ALS** before we fully understood the weight of her diagnosis. This year, as we reflect on the connection between these experiences, we recognize the importance of embracing all aspects of health. That’s why our 2024 event has evolved into a **Wander**—a space to honor healing, connection, and community.

This expanded event embraces **Mental Health Awareness**, recognizing its deep impact on individuals and communities. My journey has shown me the incredible value of support from local organizations, which have played a key role in my mental wellness. Their presence at our resource table highlights the importance of community support as we work together toward better well-being.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.1 Mental health is essential at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. (CDC, JUN 28, 2021)

WHAT IS HS?

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating, chronic inflammatory follicular occlusion that dramatically impacts the quality of life physically, mentally, and emotionally. HS consists of extremely painful recurring abscesses that can develop anywhere hair follicles are found. Abscesses or lesions can occur anywhere except the palms of our hands, soles of our feet, and lips. We are trying to spread awareness for HS Disease. I want you to take time for yourself. We will have activities for all abilities.

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease[a] that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles.ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease. Early symptoms of ALS include stiff muscles, muscle cramps, and gradually increasing weakness and muscle wasting. Limb-onset ALS begins with weakness in the arms or legs, while bulbar-onset ALS begins with difficulty speaking or swallowing. Around half of the people with ALS develop at least mild challenges with thinking and behavior, and about 15% develop frontotemporal dementia. Motor neuron loss continues until the ability to eat, speak, move, and finally, the ability to breathe is lost, with the cause of early death usually being respiratory failure.) others living with this horrible diseases. ( Taken from Wikipedia article)

Our virtual resource area :

You can donate to NAMI Schaumburg if you choose.

Minds with Motion, LLC - Class Schedule and Activities

ALS - Resources from Chicago ALS

HS Disease - Resources Table from HS Foundation

https://www.kennethyoung.org/services/lgbtq-center

https://www.kennethyoung.org/resources

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

National Institute for Mental Health

Breathe Power Yoga classes and information

Schaumburg Park District Heritage Farm

Illinois Nature Preserves

Dessert Cafe 365 is a place we host our Mindful Art and Mindfulness Classes

The night before the event, we will email you a schedule of all the activities you can participate in during your virtual wander/walk.

We warmly invite you to join us on our virtual Wander in a way that feels right for you. Even if you’re not feeling your best, we hope you’ll still connect with us and be part of this experience. We’ll share a detailed schedule with activities you can explore during your virtual Wander.

As part of the Wander, you’ll have access to a variety of activities to enhance your experience. The evening before, we’ll send you a special email with offerings like **yoga, meditation, coloring pages, music, an interaction map, journal prompts, walking mantras,** and more! We encourage you to capture your journey with photos—we’ll provide hashtags so you can share your experience. This event is about raising awareness and celebrating your unique path. Thank you for being part of it!

GET READY TO HAVE SOME FUN!

Things You will need.

Comfy Clothes

Water bottle

Journal

Colorful pens, markers, chalk, crayon

Paper

Camera

****************************************************************************************************************By attending, you permit photos to be taken and shared on social media.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

1001 E Schaumburg Rd, 1001 East Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg, United States