The Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in 2022 by the Kelly family to enable persons in Cayman who have a desire to help people struggling with mental illnesses do so. It is available to eligible students interested in pursuing a post-graduate degree or other formal certification in the field of mental health from an accredited overseas institution. Administered by the Alex Panton Foundation, all proceeds from the Addison Kelly Butterfly 5k go toward the fund. The first scholarship was awarded in 2023, the second in 2025.
Since then, Addi’s family has seen the increased need in the community for more mental health education and awareness, and their desire and motivation to do more in the community in Addi’s name, has both deepened and strengthened. Therefore, the decision was made to change the name of the fund to the Addison Kelly Mental Health Education Fund (AKMHEF) so that the initiative’s focus and reach in the community can be expanded beyond just scholarships. Mental health first aid training is just one of the programmes that the fund now covers. At the end of 2024, 90 persons in the community were trained as mental health first aid responders and the classes will continue in 2025.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is one of the programmes that the fund now covers. MHFA is an internationally recognised training that teaches people how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health issues, similar to how CPR helps people assist those experiencing physical health emergencies. In 2024, AKMHEF offered free MHFA training to 90 persons in the community. The curriculum consisted of a 10 hour in-person class with additional time spent on completing online modules. Participants included teachers, caregivers, youth workers and first responders.
Also in 2024, AKMHEF began the process of applying to MHFA International to have the Cayman Islands become a licensed MHFA provider. This accreditation will allow the Cayman Islands to create collateral that resonates with our youth and is relevant to our culture as well as increase the number of local trainers and ensure individuals can easily renew their certification every three years.
In May 2025, a significant milestone was celebrated with the Cayman Islands’ successful completion of its MHFA Mentoring Week, marking the first major step toward the full launch of the locally adapted MHFA programme.
The weeklong event brought together 14 local participants for intensive training, discussion, and workshops focused on implementing MHFA within the unique cultural context of the Cayman Islands. Two representatives from MHFA International travelled to Grand Cayman to guide the sessions, providing expert insight and support as participants reviewed the MHFA training curriculum and explored effective ways to roll out the programme locally.
With the successful completion of the mentoring week, the AKMHEF and the Alex Panton Foundation are now preparing for the full roll-out of the MHFA training across the Cayman Islands. This next phase includes developing a localised curriculum that is culturally relevant, grounded in local data, and enriched by the voices, faces, and lived experiences of our community. The ultimate goal is to foster a stronger, more compassionate Cayman Islands where mental health is destigmatised, understood, and prioritised.
The local MHFA programme will launch in the first quarter of 2026. For more information, email rhonda@kellyholding.com.
The Addison Kelly Mental Health Education scholarship is awarded to individuals seeking a post-graduate degree in the field of mental health from an accredited overseas institution, with annual renewal subject to academic performance. The scholarship is administered through the Alex Panton Foundation with support from Addi’s family, and offers CI$25,000 per annum for up to 4 years for Caymanians to pursue post-graduate studies in the fields of psychology, psychiatry or psychotherapy. It is awarded every two years (biennially) and recipients must return to work in Cayman for the number of years for which the scholarship was given. The opportunity also includes a mentorship with a doctor level psychologist/mental health provider to support the navigation of this journey.
The Addison Kelly Mental Health Education scholarship is funded primarily from the proceeds of the Addison Kelly Butterfly 5k Walk/Run, the first of which took place on Saturday, 4 February 2023.
Ms. Jamara Bodden is the first recipient of the Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship. The funding will allow Ms. Bodden to complete the final year of a two-year online master’s degree programme in psychology and neuroscience of mental health at Kings College London in September, after which time she intends to pursue a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) degree in the UK.
The second recipient of the Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship is Shian Wellington-O’Connor. Shian is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University in Canada. His long-term vision is to become a licensed counselling psychologist dedicated to serving underserved populations, especially youth, men, and those grappling with trauma, anxiety, and substance use challenges.
The Addison Kelly Butterfly 5k Walk/Run was created to honour Addi and to raise funds for the newly renamed Addison Kelly Mental Health Education Fund. The inaugural event was held on 4 February 2023. Subsequent events have taken and will take place on the first Saturday in February each year, marking every year that Addi has been gone and bringing awareness to the importance of mental health.
The 2026 Addison Kelly Butterfly 5k will take place on 7 February. Registration will open on 10 September, which is recognised globally as World Suicide Awareness Day.
Donations for the Addison Kelly Mental Health Education Fund can be made to:Bank: Cayman National BankName: Alex Panton FoundationAccount number: 012-74499, KYD Savings