NAMI 2007 Convention: An Interview with Kitty Dukakis

RC: You and I have been very fortunate because we have gotten treatment that really restored our lives although it might have taken a while. For so many people, this doesn't happen. And we have an obligation.

KD: Yes, to reach out to others. And I think that it's an uneven medical opportunity all over this country. There are places that stopped giving ECT treatment in the ‘50s and ‘60s when it had a very negative reputation. When ECT started again, many of those places refused to provide treatment. And it's still the case today. I hear from people in outlying districts or communities who are physically hours away from the closest treatment. That needs to change.