A Lanarkshire mum who tragically lost her partner to suicide is now seeing her inspirational campaign calling for improved mental health services reach a crucial stage.
Karen McKeown managed to attract more than 1300 signatures to her petition before submitting it to the Scottish Government.
Her calls for a full review of mental health services has since been heard numerous times at Holyrood and has brought positive discussions among MSPs.
This week, the 34-year-old told members of the citizen participation and public petitions committee, "we need a fit for purpose mental health service", with some of her ideas including separate A&E facilities for people in crisis with triage hubs set up in hospitals.
It's been nearly five years since the father of Karen's two children, Luke Henderson, took his own life, devastating her family and causing a ripple effect of mental health struggles for herself and kids.
He had sought help eight times in the weeks before his death, and on Wednesday, November 9, Karen told MSPs that her beloved partner was deemed a "low risk" in an assessment the night before he took his own life.
She continued to share evidence with the panel including an alarmingly low number of mental health beds in NHS Lanarkshire, and how the longest wait for a child trying to access support through CAMS was 904 days.
MSPs brought questions to Karen after sharing their compassion following the Lanarkshire mum's speech, and held positive discussions which will now be taken to the next meeting in a few weeks time with the Cabinet Secretary.
Speaking to Lanarkshire Live on how the meeting went, Karen said: "I would say I’m positive with the reaction and I felt like the committee did listen to me.
"We just can’t stop now. We need to keep pushing forward for change.
"More importantly if and when we get change how that is transpiring onto the front line. Children in Lanarkshire have a longest wait for help from CAMS at over 900 days, that is not acceptable."
Karen added: "My hope is that they carry out a review of the mental health services. It the only way we can determine what is working and what needs attention.
"My end goal is to have a hub for mental health within the hospital so people can get mental health assessment when it is needed. This would reduce the amount of patients going through A&E for mental health support."
She is also calling for a better referral process; crisis support; risk assessments; safe plans; integrated services working together; first response support and the support available to families affected by suicide.
In her closing comments, Karen told MSPs: “I would really like to see a fit for purpose mental health service. That is my aim. It is not out of anger.
"I do not want any other family member to feel the pain that we have to feel every day, because it is horrible.
“I would not wish it on anybody.
“We need a fit for purpose mental health service so this stops happening.”
Supporting Karen's campaign all the way has been Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon who backed her petition again at the meeting.
Ms Lennon said: "We owe it to everyone in Scotland, including the workforce, to really step back from this.
“I hope the Government will not be defensive, because I think we all recognise there are very good intentions but it is that gap between the high level strategy and policy and the resource and the experience on the ground.”
Following Karen's evidence on mental health waiting times, Ms Lennon added: "What we're seeing in black and white is frightening. The capacity just isn't there."
The Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf will be present at the next meeting where the issue Karen raised will be pursued further, said the convener Jackson Carlaw.
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