Cornelius (Con) Brendan Keogh, founder of GROW, died on 24 November  2011, in Marrickville, New South Wales, after several years of declining health. Born on July 13, 1921, Keogh was 90 years old.

Father Con Keogh and small number of others who had also experienced mental health problems, developed the idea of a special group to work together, specifically on the problems related to recovery from mental illness. He was thus a member of the first Grow group (or Recovery as it was then called), which met at Hurstville, Sydney, on April 27, 1957.

The wisdom they gained in helping each other to overcome life’s challenges and recover from mental illness was carefully recorded and forms the basis of our unique Grow program.

His mental breakdown came in 1954 and he was certified insane, hospitalized for several months. During his hospitalisation, he endured regular shock treatment with no anaesthesia, which he said left him “shattered, unable to remember, and still very disturbed, stunned and mortally afraid”. At that time there was incredible stigma around mental illness and community services, particularly those that focused on recovery from mental illness, we non existent.

Con Keogh remained a prominent leader of Grow in Australia and advocate for people with mental illness for over 40 years. He was instrumental in taking Grow’s Program to the USA, New Zealand and Ireland. In 2004, Father Con was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community here and overseas through Grow.

Today there are nearly 600 Grow Groups in the world including Australia and many thousands of people have regained their lives through participation in the Grow Program.  It’s an outstanding legacy!  We are fortunate in deed to be continuing his pioneering work.  For more information, please call 1800 558 268.