Zoe

In a nutshell…

Writer, advocate, activist of mental health issues. Wife to an amazing man who defied the odds of mental illness.

If you are more interested…

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness.  They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness.  

In the 18^th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness.  A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS much to the amazement of the psychiatrist. 

They are happily married, live in United Kingdom, and their marriage is a testimony that mental illness and love are not mutually exclusive.

‘The’ Book

Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS – One man’s struggle and victory over mental illness and his wife whose trust in God never failed chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey.  Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver,  clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.  

 

Mental Health Advocacy Activities

Chuck and Zoe help others in navigating their emotional and mental health. They help in creating an awareness of mental illness and in defying the stigma of mental illness.    They hold seminars, workshops and events in their mission. 

They are also invited to speak on various platforms including radio and television. 

 

Lift Effects Ambassador

Zoe is an ambassador for Lift Effects.  Lift Effects are a well established  company that hosts conferences, seminars, events and workshops, providing a speaking platform for extraordinary people from around the world to share their stories.

Zoe has been a recipient three times of the prestigious Lift Effects Extraordinary Lady Star awards.

NOUS Ambassador

Seems like Zoe enjoys doing ambassador work as she (and Chuck) are proud ambassadors of NOUS! 

Based in London, NOUS create awareness of mental illness among the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) in society.  NOUS holds quarterly Workshops and SPEAK OUT events.  These sessions advocate and talk about issues faced among BAME, often inviting medical professionals, politicians, families and those affected by mental illness to speak out!  

 

Born to write

Zoe stumbled into writing from the age of 9.  Asked by her teachers to do an international writing competition, Zoe entered and won.  However, this did not spark anything in her with regards to becoming a writer or even writing.

Few years later, at the age of 12, she was again asked to join the editorial team of her school magazine.  Zoe joined only because she had no choice! 

Over the years, this was to become the pattern,  always being given opportunities to write.

It is when she became a Christian, she realised this  ‘writing thing’ was a calling. And this wake up call was not until after being ‘rebellious’ when her then pastor asked her to start a church newsletter on the very first day he spoke to her,  which she ducked and dived from !

It was after the pastor was transferred, only then did Zoe start doing writing courses and taking her writing seriously…and did the newsletter!

She started her first blog in 2005.  But that was off and on; more off than on!   However, it was only when she joined the church she is in now, that her spirit was awakened to heights through numerous opportunities and tireless encouragement by her pastor.  That birthed a new phase in her writing and she became a published writer.

One day in 2015, while ‘minding her own business’, she heard very empathically in her spirit ‘born to write’! That marked a turning point in which Zoe realised that for her, writing was here to stay.

Zoe writes for various columns and magazines around the world, and also guest blogs too!

 

What Zoe likes

• An avid reader with a growing library of over 1000 books.
• Learning German currently.  Can read French to some level 🙂
• Great with numbers.  Maths was her favorite subject in school.
• Currently exploring her creative and artistic skills (several family members being artists).
• Travelled to 15 countries around the world.