Demi Lovato raises awareness about mental illness

This holiday season, Demi Lovato is hoping to make a difference in honor of her father Patrick Lovato, who died in 2013.
Demi, who’s been outspoken about her struggles with an eating disorder and bipolar disorder, says that she decided to found the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program after her father died to raise awareness about mental illness that goes untreated.
“He suffered from mental illness,” she told People magazine. “I believe that it was actually bipolar-schizophrenic, and he didn’t have the resources that he needed to get help.”
Now, Lovato is pairing with nonprofit organization Regular Hero to tackle the stigmas associated with mental illness by designing t-shirts, 100 percent of the proceeds of which go toward the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program.
“In honor of my dad and other people that couldn’t afford mental healthcare, I wanted to create a way for people to help others get the help that they need,” she said.