Austin Mardon and his wife, Catherine, have turned their personal battles with mental illness into a public mission of advocacy and education. The couple, who live in Edmonton, have written for local Alberta publications and were recently interviewed by The B.C. Catholic, where Austin summed up their journey: “Two half-wounded people make a better whole.”
Catherine, a lawyer and social justice advocate, survived a 1991 stabbing that left her with a traumatic brain injury. She was one of the first lawyers in Oklahoma City to represent AIDS patients when many firms would not. Her work has earned her the King Charles III Coronation Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals, and a Peace Award from the Institute of International Peace Leaders.
Dr. Austin Mardon was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his twenties but rose to prominence as a scientist and mental‑health advocate. He survived severe frostbite during a NASA‑funded Antarctic expedition in 1986‑87 and later became the first Canadian to discover a moon‑origin meteorite. He founded the Antarctic Institute of Canada and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of British Columbia in spring 2024 for his polar research and environmental work. He is also a Member of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Their marriage is perhaps their most remarkable achievement. Together, they have opened their home to more than a dozen children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), legally adopting one. Catherine first met a child with FAS while still in college; the child’s later death at 24 from addiction and prostitution left a lasting impact on her. The Mardons continue to welcome new foster children, describing the experience as “like potato chips” and noting that their foster children often call them on holidays to express gratitude.
In addition to their personal work, the couple co‑author books for adults and children that draw on their experiences with mental illness and social marginalization. Their children’s stories feature a basset hound named Gandy, and a copy of one of their books was presented to Pope Francis during a 2019 audience. They are Knight and Dame Commanders in the Order of St. Sylvester, the highest papal honour a layperson can receive, which allows them to ride horses through St. Peter’s Square and carry swords in the Pope’s presence.
The Mardons’ faith and service are intertwined. They met Pope Francis in 2017, during which Catherine, who had lost much of her Spanish due to her brain injury, briefly spoke with the Holy Father—a moment she describes as miraculous. Their work highlights the high suicide risk among those with schizophrenia and the importance of medication, resilience, and external support.
Despite early skepticism from Austin’s family and the broader community, the couple’s commitment to mental health advocacy and their open‑handed support for vulnerable children have earned them national recognition and a powerful example of resilience.
