“My earliest ‘scary and confusing’ memory is of one of my mother’s suicide attempts” recalls Vanessa. “My whole life she struggled with mental health. It was heartbreaking, and at the same time I had a lot of misguided anger and frustration towards my mom because I never understood it. People would say mean things, like that she was ‘crazy’ or ‘weird’. It was never explained as, ‘Oh, your mother struggles because she's gone through some tough stuff, and it's affected her mental health’. I didn’t know and always felt so alone as a child because I didn’t know of any other children who had a ‘mother like mine’, nobody to talk to, nobody to identify with”.

“There was never any explanation,” Vanessa continues. “There was never any opportunity for me as a child, as a teenager, as a young adult to ‘understand her’ or to develop a level of compassion or empathy for her. Instead there was affirmation of my resentment from every angle. And I think that's so sad. Things could have been so, so different.” 

For Chantel, who grew up feeling closer to their mother, this project is multi-faceted.

“It symbolizes power, strengthened support, community, guidance, individuality, and stands for the rights of those who have experienced or are experiencing mental health challenges,” Chantel says. “It’s important to let others know they are not alone. They are here. They are seen. They are heard."

“My mother and I had a unique bond. I was her confidante” Chantel says. “She was eccentric and full of personality, but deep down, through all those stories I saw a woman who feared life, who was lost, and who didn’t know how to achieve her goals or get the things she wanted out of life.”

“Due to her differences she felt like an outcast. I watched her life fall apart when our father passed on and everything became more pronounced,” explained Chantel. “If there was something like With Love.when my mom was around it could have really helped her. Her children would have developed much needed compassion and empathy growing up. That understanding and support could have given her the tools she needed to conquer the hard times, develop the strength and self love to make it through this life and be the women and mother she longed to be”.

“I hope this passion project spreads awareness about mental health and more specifically the importance of support to those young ones living with family members who struggle. We hope it gives those struggling a helping hand.”

Echoing her sister’s thoughts, Vanessa says the duo want to create a ripple of change around the world.

“This company inspires me, its name inspires me, because regardless of all the struggles our mom had, she was the absolute most loving person I knew,” adds Vanessa. “She did not have an easy life, but no matter what she was always kind and loving. Everything she did was with love. And so that's what inspires our name. It really lights a fire in us."

“We need to treat everybody with kindness and love because you just don't know what battle somebody is fighting. For someone to read our words of inspiration, whether they know our story or not, could really brighten someone's day - it could even save a life!”