Pat Lovett has overcome a learning disability, severe shyness and a lack of formal education to champion thousands of mentally ill patients. She has been tireless in her work on behalf of the mentally ill and their families since discovering in 1982 that her own son was bipolar-schizophrenic.

Lovett has created a unique support group called Community Voice, where families, patients and mental health workers gather to discuss ways to ensure quality care for patients. She conducts classes, speaks at public rallies and at international conferences. Lovett also acts one-on-one, personally guiding families and patients through the system, offering advice on every aspect of their situation. She does in-depth site visits at public and private mental health facilities and community centers, and even searches the streets for lost patients.

When a distraught patient was turned away from Western State Hospital, she took the woman into her own home.

Appointed by Washington’s governor to the board of directors for Western State, she has been active in quality review of patient services throughout the region, her work affecting the budgets and policies in the entire State’s mental health system. She has investigated accusations of abuse at Western State and helped ensure appropriate actions were taken to protect the patients. She also includes the safety of caregivers in her goals.

Her own health and safety have been at issue—at one point she was even stalked—but she remains undaunted. During a recent hospitalization for a life-threatening aneurysm she said, “I don’t have time for this; give me an aspirin.” She worked from her hospital bed and all during her recuperation. “I believe the reason I lived and recovered so quickly,” says Lovett, “is that I knew so many people were depending on me to get them the help they needed.”