Bipolar disorder is a bit of a mystery to some, but, to the Colson and Willborn families, it’s always been front and center.
The late Pam (Willborn) Colson lived a very normal life – dedicated to work, family, her two kids. Yet, she and her family grappled with the effects of a serious mental illness every day. Pam was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 15 years old and a Pecatonica High School student in the 1970s. It presented challenges for the next four decades until her death from colon cancer at age 59.
Now, her daughter, Cassie Colson Perenchio, has launched a nonprofit to honor her mother’s memory and inspire progress and action on mental health, The P.A.M. Alliance.
“Mom was one of the very best people – kind, loving, hardworking, fiercely proud and protective of her children,” said Colson Perenchio, Pam’s daughter and eldest child. “Yet, she was fighting a battle for her mental health and health so regularly. It taught us all a lot about how ‘the system’ doesn’t work – and also how it should.”
Many lessons started in 2014 when Pam experienced a serious mental health emergency that required a hospital stay in Madison. The family later learned there was a change in her bipolar medications – going from a treatment plan focused primarily on the use of lithium to a combination of a few different drugs. It was her then-medical doctor who made the change, and it still remains unclear if her psychiatrist knew about the switch at the time it occurred.
“We were never so scared as the night when she had her mental health emergency,” Colson Perenchio shared. “As I learned more about what had really transpired over the next three years, I became increasingly frustrated – and also inspired to action.”
Eventually, in 2016, Pam was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It always has been somewhat ironic that while family and mental health professionals focused heavily on Pam’s mental health, warning signs of colon cancer likely were missed. Yet, Pam’s colon cancer experience revealed even more challenges with the country’s mental health and health care systems – primarily, that doctors and mental health professionals, especially those who do not work in the same health systems, do not collaborate well together in a patient-centric way when treating the same person.
“As Mom’s life was nearing its end, I asked her permission to tell her story to shed light on needs and opportunities in mental health care and health care. She gave me a resounding yes,” Colson Perenchio shared. “That is how the foundation for The P.A.M. Alliance took shape.”
Soon, the Alliance will host a community launch event and award its first-ever scholarship at Pecatonica High School as its work begins.
A Nonprofit on a Mission
After Pam’s death in December 2017, Colson Perenchio always wanted to start a scholarship at Pecatonica High School to support students entering the mental health or medical fields. It was a clear way to honor her mother’s memory and illuminate needs and challenges in America’s health care structure.
Pam and husband Jim were relentlessly passionate about Cassie and younger brother Cameron Colson attending college and obtaining bachelor’s degrees. Their mother’s sometimes intense encouragement is one of the main reasons for Cassie’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cameron’s from Lakeland College.
“Higher education and getting a degree was so important to Mom,’ said Cameron, a 2012 Pecatonica graduate. “She believed in us and knew education was important for everyone.”
Beyond scholarships, launching a full nonprofit organization always was a dream. Due to a variety of personal challenges, including the death of Pam’s mother, Bertha, in 2018, the formal structure did not take shape until much later.
In late 2025, at the encouragement of other family members and friends, The P.A.M. Alliance, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was officially founded. It connects directly to Pam’s legacy with clear mission, vision and values that honor Pam, those like her and everyone who wants to participate in mental health conversations, education and advocacy.
“It is definitely about reducing stigma, but The P.A.M. Alliance is also about much more than that,” said Colson Perenchio, founder and executive director. “We’re focused on unique stories that illuminate the need to look at mental health care and health care differently in this country. We know Mom’s story can be a springboard for some deep, meaningful conversations and action.”
The P.A.M. Alliance focuses on progress and action on mental health – the letters that form the acronym also serving as a nod to Pam’s name and memory. The organization provides scholarships to students pursuing higher education, hosts small group and community conversations to connect people and experiences, brings together experts to learn about the potential for crosssystem collaboration and participates in issue-based legislative advocacy.
“We want to join existing mental health conversations, but we also believe The P.A.M. Alliance has unique role to play,” said Brittany Farrell, Cassie’s best friend and a close Colson family friend who serves on the Alliance’s Board of Directors. “Pam’s story has the ability to serve as a foundation for meaningful change. And I know she is truly proud and honored that this organization is dedicated in her memory.”
What the Research Says
The prevalence of mental health challenges in the United States is staggering. Approximately 20 percent of adults have a mental health diagnosis, while just over 5 percent have a serious mental illness like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or major depression.
At the same time, people who have a severe mental illness are less likely to get screened for serious medical conditions, like cancer. What’s more, people with serious mental illnesses are 2 to 3 times more likely to die early than those who do not have a diagnosis.
These are just two of the many realities that underscore the intersection of mental health and health care in the U.S. – and why there must be a stronger focus on how one affects the other, Colson Perenchio said.
“My strong, deeply held personal belief is that if we truly invested in mental health and health care in this country – that everyone has equal access to it – overall wellbeing would increase dramatically,” she said. “That is part of the foundation for the Alliance’s advocacy pillar. We are dedicated to educating legislators about the importance of prioritizing mental health.”
The P.A.M. Alliance has developed a guide to assist community members with effective ways to share their mental health stories and be confident in participating in conversations with legislators and policymakers. These efforts are not political and are not connected to particular candidates. Rather, they are educationand conversationbased with the goal of illuminating needs and opportunities in the public policy space.
“When you look at the data and research, the need to prioritize mental health in this country is clear and dire,” Colson Perenchio said. “We’re excited to become a dynamic part of those conversations.”
Looking Ahead
The P.A.M. Alliance had its official public launch last week and is set to award its first scholarship at Pecatonica High School’s graduation and scholarship night on Friday, May 29. A formal community launch event also is expected to take place at Blanchard Hall in Blanchardville in June.
The Alliance also is planning dropin coffee chats and small group discussions to emphasize open dialogue and meaningful connections. “We cannot wait to start connecting with the community, and we’re already so grateful for the early support we’ve received,” Colson Perenchio said. “I know Mom is grateful, too.”
All information about future events and opportunities, including how to donate to the organization, are on The P.A.M. Alliance website at www.thepamalliance.org and its Facebook and Instagram channels.
