On April 30, 2007, more than 500 people turned out to hear football legend Terry Bradshaw share his inspirational message about overcoming depression in his characteristic high-energy, fun-loving style.

Bradshaw spoke at Butler Hospital’s second annual Real Stories, Real Recoveries event which brings prominent people to share their real experiences with mental illness and help reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Bradshaw said his diagnosis of depression was a relief. He now had an explanation of his behavior, and was glad to know there was treatment available.

Real Stories, Real Recoveries launched in April 2006 with a heartfelt presentation by award-winning broadcast journalist Jane Pauley. Pauley set the tone for the project with a hopeful message, encouraging people to seek treatment and illustrating with her own story that mental illness, like any physical illness, can strike people of any walk of life at any time.

These success stories focus on recovery. Success rates for treatment of mental illnesses exceed those even for treatment of heart disease. More than 80 percent of people with depression improve when they receive appropriate treatment. And the results just keep getting better. Physician/scientists at Butler Hospital and around the world continue to pursue research aggressively, always looking for new and better treatments and to increase our understanding of these diseases.

Back to Butler Hospital's Depression Resource Page