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Our Journey...
How the Wellness Quarter began
Growing up poor and struggling in South Africa, I vowed to myself when I became a father, my children would have all the things that I never had.
So, when I had a family, I worked extremely hard. I was driven and thought nothing of working 12-hour days, 7 days a week. I was so driven to keep moving forward that I lost sight of what my wife and children were going through while I wasn’t there because I was always working. When my wife told me she wanted out of the marriage, I was shocked, I didn’t understand. I also didn’t understand the struggle my 15-year-old daughter Madison was going through, until the day she was hospitalised and diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder. I was crushed when I realised the extent of the pain Madison was in. How she was getting through school was beyond me, and how I missed the signs of her struggle devastated me. Madison was diagnosed by two different psychiatrists who each in turn informed me that Madison was suffering, and amongst her symptoms she was experiencing psychosis, paranoia, severe mood swings, severe insomnia and severe depression. The psychiatrists also informed me they did not expect that Madison could be cured and that she would have to live with mental illness for the rest of her life. Madison’s treatment involved an array of medications, some of which would stop her from feeling any emotions and she was expected to live a zombie-like existence. You can imagine my deep despair. That night, I remember crying endless tears, I felt like I was facing the loss of my child. I sobbed for hours, until finally, exhausted, I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, a new resolve was stirring inside me: I was going to find a way to help my little girl! There was no way in this world I was going to let her live that way. I was going to do everything in my power to help her heal! By this time, I was already a single Dad, running a high-pressured business, but I was determined, I had to find a way to help Madison. I immediately turned to the internet, but the amount of information I had to wade through was incredibly overwhelming. I simply didn’t have the time, and it felt like time was of the essence for Madison to heal. So, I set my business aspirations on pause and began researching with one sole focus: Heal Madison. Countless hours of research later, my goal started to feel like it had direction when it led me to a doctor who used nutrition to heal her own child who had also suffered from mental illness. This doctor created and used the GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome) diet with success, as had many others. There were however many doctors at that time saying that this was a dangerous diet and should not be used. I reasoned that the doctor who created this diet was motivated and driven by the same parental love for her child that I held for my Madison. This, and the fact that the GAPS diet was based on natural foods led me to the conclusion that I had nothing to lose by trying it and possibly, everything to gain. Now, the GAPS diet is a two-year diet and this wasn’t easy for a single Dad with two kids who was also trying to run a business. I had to completely change the eating habits of my family unit! The kids fought me every step of the way, and though it was challenging, within a month I noticed changes in Madison. Over the next two years I watched Madison progressively change, get better and soon she was blossoming!
So, when I had a family, I worked extremely hard. I was driven and thought nothing of working 12-hour days, 7 days a week. I was so driven to keep moving forward that I lost sight of what my wife and children were going through while I wasn’t there because I was always working. When my wife told me she wanted out of the marriage, I was shocked, I didn’t understand. I also didn’t understand the struggle my 15-year-old daughter Madison was going through, until the day she was hospitalised and diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder. I was crushed when I realised the extent of the pain Madison was in. How she was getting through school was beyond me, and how I missed the signs of her struggle devastated me. Madison was diagnosed by two different psychiatrists who each in turn informed me that Madison was suffering, and amongst her symptoms she was experiencing psychosis, paranoia, severe mood swings, severe insomnia and severe depression. The psychiatrists also informed me they did not expect that Madison could be cured and that she would have to live with mental illness for the rest of her life. Madison’s treatment involved an array of medications, some of which would stop her from feeling any emotions and she was expected to live a zombie-like existence. You can imagine my deep despair. That night, I remember crying endless tears, I felt like I was facing the loss of my child. I sobbed for hours, until finally, exhausted, I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, a new resolve was stirring inside me: I was going to find a way to help my little girl! There was no way in this world I was going to let her live that way. I was going to do everything in my power to help her heal! By this time, I was already a single Dad, running a high-pressured business, but I was determined, I had to find a way to help Madison. I immediately turned to the internet, but the amount of information I had to wade through was incredibly overwhelming. I simply didn’t have the time, and it felt like time was of the essence for Madison to heal. So, I set my business aspirations on pause and began researching with one sole focus: Heal Madison. Countless hours of research later, my goal started to feel like it had direction when it led me to a doctor who used nutrition to heal her own child who had also suffered from mental illness. This doctor created and used the GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome) diet with success, as had many others. There were however many doctors at that time saying that this was a dangerous diet and should not be used. I reasoned that the doctor who created this diet was motivated and driven by the same parental love for her child that I held for my Madison. This, and the fact that the GAPS diet was based on natural foods led me to the conclusion that I had nothing to lose by trying it and possibly, everything to gain. Now, the GAPS diet is a two-year diet and this wasn’t easy for a single Dad with two kids who was also trying to run a business. I had to completely change the eating habits of my family unit! The kids fought me every step of the way, and though it was challenging, within a month I noticed changes in Madison. Over the next two years I watched Madison progressively change, get better and soon she was blossoming!
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On her 17th birthday Madison said to me: “Dad, I feel completely healed. There isn’t one thing in my body or mind that relates to bipolar. I cried uncontrollably with sheer joy and elation in that moment and my eyes still well up every time I share this story.
Madison is now 21 years old and she is living the amazing life I always dreamed my daughter would have. She is happy and following her dreams to be a singer and songwriter. In fact, she recently sang for first time in public at a Wellness Quarter event [click here to hear Madison sing].
Since then, we have helped many people suffering with a range of health problems through the power of food as medicine. We created the Wellness Quarter to help people create a lifestyle of holistic health and wellbeing. My experience with Madison taught me that food is healing. It is the greatest medicine when consumed in its natural, optimised form. Healthy food is delicious and vitalising. It enhances your awareness, consciousness and your body’s innate healing powers.
Food is simply the easiest decision you can make to transform your mind, body and soul.
