My guest today is Kat Zempolic. Kat is a Co-Founder, Board Member, Vice President, co-host of The Mental Matchup and Director of Podcasting for Morgan's Message. She grew up in northern Virginia and attended Duke University. She was a member of the Duke Women’s lacrosse team with Morgan. She graduated from Duke’s Trinity College in 2018 with a B.A. in Public Policy, certificate in Markets and Management Studies and minor in Visual and Media Studies. After graduating, Kat attended Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and graduated in 2019 with a Master’s of Science. She currently lives and works in Boston.

Morgan’s Message was founded in 2020 after the death of Morgan. In January 2017, just before the beginning of her sophomore season, Morgan endured a dream-shattering knee injury. She spent the next 12 months determined to return to the field, undergoing surgery and dedicating herself to an intensive rehabilitation program. Morgan struggled with this abrupt change because she felt she had lost control within her life. As a result, Morgan’s self-worth plummeted. While she presented a strong, happy and resilient face to her community, she grappled with feeling that she was not living up to her expectations. Her feelings of isolation from the team and stress caused by other relationship issues accelerated the return of anxiety and depression. This time, Morgan chose to suffer in silence, keeping family and friends in the dark as she battled her mental health. As a result, Morgan died by suicide July 11, 2019 at the age of 22.

Their mission is To amplify stories, resources and expertise to strengthen student-athlete mental health, build a community by and for athletes through peer-to-peer conversations and provide a platform for advocacy.

Website: https://www.morgansmessage.org

For additional resources download or order our Athlete Handbook from our website. Written by teens for their peers, coaches, and parents on how to maintain positive mental health in athletics.

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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