Woman who leapt out of a window following a ‘petty’
row makes film to raise awareness about Borderline
Personality Disorder
Keriann McDonnell, 26, from Cardiff, teamed up with Fixers, the charity which
gives young people a voice, to tell of her ordeal
A girl who jumped out of a first floor window following a ‘petty’ row has spoken of her hell of
suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
Keriann McDonnell, 26, from Cardiff, suffers from the mental illness which causes impulsive
behaviours and intense mood swings.
She teamed up with Fixers, the charity which gives young people a voice, to make a short
film explaining what BPD is. To watch the film click here.
Fixers is a national charity and has worked with more than 1,500 young people in Wales
since 2012.
At her lowest, Keriann jumped out of her bedroom window breaking her leg following a row
with her mum when she was 22.
She says: “I can’t even remember what it was about now. It was something really petty, but it
was like a flick switched in my head.
“I was so angry, I just had to get out of the house and the nearest exit was my bedroom
window. Without thinking, I just launched myself out of it.
“I’m lucky that nothing more serious happened, but I’ve been left with lifelong complications
following the accident.”
As well as dealing with lifelong physical complications, Keriann has also had to deal with the
emotional fallout from friends.
She says: “People don’t understand BPD and some haven’t even heard of it. I used to get
called ‘psycho’. As a result, I began to feel more and more isolated.
“At that point, I felt like I’d hit a brick wall and that’s when I saw the advert to become a Fixer.
I wanted to explain to people what BPD was, but didn’t know how to go about it.
“I wanted to find a way to tell friends in a way they’d understand, rather than through boring
medical terms.
“I also wanted to ‘fix’ the stigma around mental health as I think people can be scared of
things they don’t fully understand.”
Keriann presented the film to an audience of 40 young people and youth workers and has
spread the film widely online where it has had more than 11,000 views.
She has been inundated with messages of support on social media from other people with
BPD who describe years of suffering.
Keriann says: “It’s fantastic that I’ve been able to reach so many people. Friends and family
understand my condition better than before. Living with BPD can be a struggle but it means
a lot when the people around me can empathise.
“Recently I’ve started to see the positive side of BPD. Back then I didn’t think there were any
positives at all and I just felt really depressed and hopeless that I had this incurable
condition.
“But now I see that I’m passionate about certain things – like making a difference in people’s
lives. I’ve also got a strong creative side which I hadn’t paid attention to before but now I
paint and really enjoy it.”
Keriann said becoming a Fixer was fundamental to the positive outlook she now holds and
she is calling on local businesses to fund other young people to have the same opportunity.
The charity, which has one of its five hubs in Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff, is looking
to raise £30,000 to support 16 to 25 year olds in Wales who are motivated to use their past
to fix the future for themselves and others.
The charity mentors young people over the course of six months or more while they are
working on their chosen project.
Keriann added: “Working with Fixers really built up my confidence. I met with a Young
Persons Coordinator who mentored me and gave me the power to believe in myself –
because people were listening to my ideas.
“I spent days searching the net for something to get my voice heard, and just when I thought
I’d hit a brick wall, I found Fixers.
“They helped me go about raising awareness of BPD at a time when I was feeling lost.
There’s nothing quite like it out there and I hope to see more Cardiff youngsters benefiting
from it.
Keriann, who now volunteers with Victim Support, is studying psychology at The Open
University and is considering going into counselling.
She says: “Now I want to help others just like Fixers helped me. Before I felt like I didn’t
belong to the world, but now I want to be a part of it.”
Keriann’s mum Debbie, 44, said: “Working with Fixers meant Keriann met other young
people with mental health issues and she didn’t feel so isolated.
“The project gave her something to focus on at a time when she was suffering from
depression.
“When she could see she was helping others, it really boosted her self-esteem and gave her
the confidence to get to where she is now.”
Huw Rossiter, Public Affairs Manager at ITV Cymru Wales, which broadcasts Fixers’ stories,
said: "ITV Wales is proud to support Fixers through our monthly coverage on Wales At Six.
“It has shown viewers how young people can turn their lives around if they are given the
opportunity - taking a negative from their past and turning it into a positive for others.
"Fixers has helped them improve their own life chances and for others to learn from their
experiences. It would be great if every young person in Cardiff and throughout Wales had
this opportunity.”
To support more Fixers projects in Cardiff, click here to donate.
Visit www.fixers.org.uk for more information.
For images, interviews or more information, please contact Harriet Hernando
in the Fixers Communications Team on [email protected] or 01962 810970.
Notes to editors:

There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on the
Fixers website, Twitter and Facebook pages:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.twitter.com/FixersUK
www.facebook.com/FixersUK