Judi Chamberlin, humanitarian, activist, advocate and psychiatric survivor dies, but her voice will live on through all of us

Life as a Hospice Patient, blog author, humanitarian and advocate has died.

Please read the comment section of the link above, and you will see many, many dedicated activist's comments, love and memories left for Judi Chamberlin.

She was indeed a shining light in the darkness, and hope for others, like myself to not give up.

Please watch this video dedicated and created for her at her request by David Oaks, from MindFreedom.

I never knew Judi, or had contact with her, but am truly inspired by her.

This quote David Oaks left in the comment section of Judi's blog says it all:

"At Judi's request, I made a brief YouTube video for the celebration of Judi's life this past August. You can find it by googling:

judi chamberlin living tribute by david oaks youtube

I'm so glad Judi and I had a chance to visit when I got out to Massachusetts in October. As many have noted, she was so supremely pragmatic about the dying experience, as one can read on her blog here.

I asked Judi what I could do to help.

Judi said, "Remember back in MPLF? You put up a sign on the office wall that said, 'End Psychiatric Oppression by Tuesday.' That's what I want. End psychiatric oppression by Tuesday."



Judi's 'about me' on her blog side bar :

"I have been an activist in the psychiatric survivor movement since 1971.

I am the author of "On Our Own," the first book about the goals and principles of the movement (available from the National Empowerment Center (http://power2u.org/).

I believe that until people labeled as "mentally ill" have the same rights as others, we will continue to be marginalized and discriminated against."--Judi Chamberlin
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Many people are writing about Judi Chamberlin, many articles, many lives touched

Message from David W. Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International

Furious Seasons,"Judi Chamberlin, 1944-2010"

Psychiatric Survivor,"Passing of Judi Chamberlin"

IS something not quite right,"Judi Chamberlin, hero

Access Denied,Living with MS-Herrad, "Remembering Judi"

Bore Patch,"Dignity and Honesty"

Disability Studies, Temple U," RIP Judi Chamberlin"

Virtual Memorials Judy Chamberlin

"In her early 20s, Chamberlin was hospitalized in a state institution and diagnosed with schizophrenia. She soon discovered that, as a psychiatric patient, she had no legal rights.

This realization was the catalyst for her activist career, which began in the early 1970s when she co-founded the Mental Patients’ Liberation Front.

Judi worked tirelessly throughout her life to create client-run, non-coercive alternatives to traditional mental health systems, and to end rights violations and discrimination against people with psychiatric disabilities.

Towards the end of her life, she became an advocate for the hospice model of care and the right to die at home. "