Magee-Womens Foundation

It has taken me 20 years to express my gratitude to your institution. You may receive letters of gratitude for medical miracles, saving a child or mother�s life, yet my gratitude is toward your staff and social work department for helping save my fragile spirit and helping me begin a journey of healing from child sexual abuse beginning before I was 4 yrs old until I was 12 years old. It was during a medical procedure at Magee-Womens Hospital that helped me realize the affects of the abuse and where I began the healing process. There were times when I wanted to end my life as a result of the abuse I endured.

I thought that I could put the abuse I endured behind me, that it didn�t affect me and I could just forget it and move on with my life. However, during a medical procedure at Magee my body remembered the trauma I endured. Your staff helped me as I began to hyperventilate, break out into hives, shake uncontrollably and experience a severe panic attack during the procedure. Overwhelming memories flooded my mind and the instruments triggered me of the sexual abuse I endured as a child. The terror and panic was too much to bear and both my mouth and body began to scream for help that took a lifetime to express. The nurses were so kind, so patient and helped me realize this was not normal and my body may be reacting because of the abuse I endured. They notified the social work department to help me. The social worker helped me begin my healing process and encouraged me to talk to a therapist to being the healing process.

As a result of that intervention, I went into the field of Social Work and in 1999 I became a Certified Rape Crisis Counselor through Pittsburgh Action Against Rape to help others begin their healing journey as well. I went on to become a CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children in Allegheny County, and a Child Abuse Prevention Advocate to assist to educate and prevent all forms of violence and crimes against children. I am also honored to be a member of the Magee Domestic Violence Task Force and the new Chair of the National Council of Jewish Women Western Pennsylvania Silent Witness Initiative. I recently attended a workshop at the hospital and decided I should share how your institution made such a difference in my life. Words could not describe the difference a moment can make. The time your staff and social work department dedicated to assist me changed my life forever. Although my advocacy began at PAAR, my healing started at Magee.

I would not be an advocate today if it were not for the healing intervention at Magee. As an appointed member of the City of Pittsburgh Youth Commission, I speak out as a survivor of child sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and a runaway homeless youth to assist to prevent all forms of violence and crimes against children and youth in our city. My childhood was truly a journey of survival. Thanks to Magee, the healing process helped me begin a new journey, from victim to survivor, from survivor to advocate for the prevention of child sexual assault and all forms of violence and crimes against children.

With sincere and passionate thanks,

Joanne Witkowski

Advocate and Mother of Two Magee Babies (now 14 and 12)!!!

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