Vanessa Francis

Vanessa lost her husband Rick to suicide in 2016 and is still healing from this sudden and traumatic loss. She didn’t want others to know how he died during those first few months after, but she soon realized the importance of openly talking about mental health and depression to end the stigma and shine a light on this topic.

She attended her first Camp Widow in Toronto in 2019. It was there that she experienced the healing power and beauty of being with others who have suffered such immense loss.Vanessa was the Chair of Heartache2Hope’s 5K walk committee. She was instrumental in getting this inaugural walk off the ground and raising funds which far exceeded their goal. H2H provides support to suicide loss grievers in southern Ontario. She also supports Lighthouse for Grieving Children.

Vanessa looks for joy in the everyday as she realizes that life is just way too short.
She is a business owner and designer who fills her day with designing beautiful spaces for her clients so that they feel happier at home. She loves yoga, hiking and her doodle Ellie.