On March 15, 2023, I lost a very close friend of mine, her name was Sienna Berry. I spent 7th grade with her and kept in touch during 8th grade after she switched schools. She danced, played soccer, did gymnastics, and rode horses.
She was always hard on herself about many things, especially school and dance even though she was brilliant, a hard worker, and a great dancer. Sienna was a very cheery person even with the high standards she held herself to.
When I found out about her passing, there was lots of confusion surrounding how she passed. During the funeral, they read the letters she left for various groups she thought might want to hear from her. It only clicked a few hours later that she wouldn’t have written letters if her death had been an accident.
I think the Berry family said it best on the Grow with Sienna website, “Despite all the joy she brought to others, Sienna silently struggled with her own mental health. She faced these challenges privately, hiding her pain behind a beautiful smile.”
On October 22, 2023, what would have been Sienna’s 15th birthday, the Berry family created the Grow with Sienna Giving Fund. The giving fund focuses on raising money for various mental health charities and foundations. They raise money throughout the year, but their main sources of donations are from their group that takes part in the Walk for Hope as well as their Kentucky Derby fundraiser.
The Walk for Hope is a 5k fundraising event where participants donate to take part, they can donate directly to the Foundation of Hope, the Walk for Hope organizers, or to a team or group to raise awareness for a specific cause. The Berry family organizes a group called “#growwithSienna” in the walk. At the last Walk for Hope, they raised $24,330, ranking third for most donations.
Proceeds from the Walk for Hope go to CHAAMP, Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program. CHAAMP is a research program run by UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry working to strengthen the infrastructure providing mental health assistance to young people.
Sienna loved horseback riding and watching the Kentucky Derby. The Berry family decided to honor Sienna’s love for horses by hosting a fundraiser watch party. Participants dress in their fancy Derby outfits with dramatic hats and donate money to the cause.
Dawn Berry, the giving fund’s founder and Sienna’s mother, said, “This year all proceeds will go to the WakeMed Foundation’s Courage to Confront Crisis campaign. They are going to build a hospital for mental health and well-being in Garner, NC.”
WakeMed’s Mental Health & Well-Being Hospital plans on serving five distinct groups:
- Minors under 18, navigating challenges specific to their age group.
- Young adults (18-26), developing the skills and confidence needed for life transitions.
- Individuals over 18, working to overcome addiction and seeking recovery support.
- Adults (18+), in need of round-the-clock care for emotional or psychiatric conditions.
- Seniors (65+), requiring assistance with behavioral health concerns.
The mental well-being hospital will have 150 beds along with a 45-bed acute care facility for physical issues. The hospital will cost $125 million, $75 million is coming from WakeMed and $50 million is coming from the fundraising campaign. WakeMed plans on breaking ground in 2025 and opening in 2027.
The giving fund has raised over $130,000 in the year and a half it has been in existence. The Berry family has not waivered in their promise to continue to fight for mental health in Sienna’s memory.
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