By John Stewart,
The Mississauga News

Nov 16, 2005

Some managers might take offence to receiving a toilet plunger from their staff to celebrate their 25th anniversary on the job.

Not Sandy Milakovic, executive director of the Peel branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). "I'm the best toilet plunger in my office," said the 52-year-old Mississaugan proudly. "I've had a lot of practice."

Since she began working part-time at the local support group in 1980, you could say Milakovic has done everything she can to make life better for those who suffer from mental illness, including unplugging toilets.

She's still doing it all, including picking up day-old food from two Second Cup outlets on her way into work every day to feed visitors to one of two "clubhouses" CMHA runs for clients.

Her devotion to the job resulted in another gift at the recent surprise party where friends and staff expressed their appreciation for the Clarkson resident's devotion to the cause. Milakovic was given a tiara by Tony McEvenue, director of community support services for the branch, who said his boss helped him get through a difficult time in his life earlier this year.

"Those who know Sandy have witnessed her determination, kindness, patience, understanding, integrity, sense of humour, composure and grace under fire," McEvenue said. "I have never known anyone like her. Sandy has won the highest regard, affection and respect from all who know her and I know that many lives have been made better because of Sandy."

In presenting the tiara McEvenue called the former psychiatric nurse "the queen of all of our hearts."

Since arriving on the scene in 1980, Milakovic's steady hand has guided changes in the Peel branch's operations which have seen a 25-fold increase in the budget, development of a veteran and dedicated staff of 70 and a collaborative approach with numerous other Peel agencies to deliver an impressive range of services.

She especially stresses the importance of early intervention which can divert those with mental illness, who are often diagnosed only after they've had a run-in with the law, into programs that stabilize their lives.

The connections between mental illness, homelessness and poverty are a lot better understood now than they once were, said Milakovic, but there is much more to do. People still live in terrible poverty because of inadequate welfare assistance, lack of employment and poor housing conditions.

Respect for the client has always been a hallmark of Milakovic's reign as "the queen of mental health," as one local MPP called her earlier this year.

The Mississaugan tries to live by the words on a plaque given to her by a now-deceased client. It reads, "Don't walk ahead of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend."