An Accidental Advocate

by Lembi Buchanan

An Accidental Advocate is an engrossing Erin-Brockovich style memoir with Lembi Buchanan fighting for fair tax treatment, not only for her husband Jim who lives with bipolar disorder, but also for thousands of Canadians with disabilities who have been discriminated against by a government that views chronic and persistent mental illness as being less disabling as physical impairments. Lembi takes on the Canada Revenue Agency in the Tax Court of Canada and wins big time, with a case that is upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal.



An Accidental Advocate is also a deeply poignant personal story, about the power of love when their marriage is threatened by an unforgiving mental illness, time and time again. Lembi captivates her readers with honesty, humour and humility as she shares a love affair that has endured for more than 50 years. She counters the antipsychiatry movement that denies the existence of severe mental illness and denigrates their biological treatment because she and her husband chose science over unfounded theories that have no basis in medicine. In her remarkable memoir, Lembi shares the intimate details of a love story destined to last forever. Their story will resonate with families searching for answers and understanding, providing them with hope for better days ahead.




This is a must read for everyone because mental illness has no boundaries and shows no discretion. Anyone can be affected at anytime.

280 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2023

Reviews

[Oreah Fisgus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book in two sittings, it was quite absorbing. The author Lembi shamelessly depicts what life is like with someone with mental illness in this case bipolar/manic depressive. Living with someone with mental illness is no easy challenge. She shows how difficult it is to separate the disease from the real person and what unconditional love can do, in this case a marriage. It's a story that transcends from not only her own private life, but what she was able to accomplish in the highest governmental offices to help all those with mental illness. Lembi brings you on a rollercoaster ride that challenges you to hang on, across the many decades. I hope that Lembi is able to continue her work with the government vs those with mental illness that has in turn helped thousands of people get what is rightfully theirs.

[Barb Wagstaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Accidental Advocate is a must read! Lembi shares her journey as a wife of a person with mental illness who takes up the gauntlet against the Canadian Federal Government. She fights not just for her husband, but for all Canadians living with disabilities.
Lembi's story is a powerful one of life-long love and commitment. No matter where you live, you need to read this incredible story.
I have long referred to Lembi as angel here on Earth. Her help for those of us who battled to access the Disability Tax Credit was truly God sent. In reading her story, I can see that she is much more than a mere angel. She is a powerhouse motivated by a unique love. Her story should be required reading for many.

[Mary Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book will open your eyes to the unpredictability of life with someone who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Lembi provides a first hand account of life with her husband Jim and how she fought for fairness in obtaining the DTC (the Canadian Federal Disability Tax Credit) for him when he was no longer able to work. Lembi and Jim's undeniable love story is a thread throughout this narrative.
Taking on the federal government was more challenging than anticipated but Lembi never gave up. For those of us in the disability community, Lembi is our hero, and we owe her a debt of gratitude as she gained recognition for a mental health diagnosis as eligibility for the DTC.

[Arlaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courageous. Determined. Knowledgeable. Insightful. Caring. These words are how I describe Lembi Buchanan, my friend and my guardian angel. An Accidental Advocate will keep you on the edge of your seat as you as you visit the full spectrum of human emotions. You will discover that it is not easy to love someone living with bipolar disorder and yet, Lembi's love for her husband never faulters. Her memoir is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand a complex illness such as bipolar disorder and its impact on loved ones. Arlaine

[Brenda Hildebrand]

Thank you Lembi, for this honestly poignant and painfully true account of the challenges so many families face, when dealing with mental illness, and how they are affected by the bad decisions our Canadian government and insurance companies make to save money. As a mother of a son living with paranoid schizophrenia this memoir has hit the mark on so many levels! Coping with a crippling disease, while fighting the CRA for fairness, is a story I know all too well.

[Geri Williams-Borne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The work this author has done to advocate on behalf of the disabled is remarkable in every way. Her memoir explodes the myths that have existed in relation to mental health through her own lived experiences and highlights the rights and needs of the disabled. Her work has been an invaluable contribution to so disabled who many who have been denied benefits disabilities by the CRA. Any essential account of working of the CRA in reference to the DTC Thank you Lembi !