MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Seeking more than a crown
Contestant uses beauty pageants to spread message
By Vonna Keomanyvong Kansan staff writer
When Angelea Busby goes to the Miss Kansas America pageant, she will not just be after the crown. The Lenexa junior said she wanted to inform people on the issue of depression.
Four years ago, Busby's mother Marilyn was diagnosed with manic depression.
Manic depression occurs when the body functions on a high and low activity level.
"That was just a life-changing event," Angela Busy said. "My family had no clue basically what she was dying from. And if she had not have gotten help sooner then she would have died."
Busby, who has been entering pageants since she was 13 years old, said that in the beginning she entered pageants because she wanted to be Miss America.
"It's always been a dream of mine," Busby said. "In high school, I was voted most likely to be Miss America, so I guess I wanted to to fulfill that."
But it wasn't until Busby was 16 years old that she found her real reason to be in the pageant. Her mother admitted herself into a hospital for manic depression.
Before that her mother said she did not know she had an illness. During that time, Marilyn Busby had moved her family from Texas to Kansas and dealt with the death of both her father and her father-in-law.
Marilyn said those trying times took a toll on her body, and she became very ill.
"I was crying all the time. I didn't eat and I didn't care," Marilyn Busby said. "I had suicidal thoughts. That's what made me realize that I needed help."
Although her mother is healthy now, Busby said that because her family did not know about the illness, she decided to make it her mission to inform people about it.
Last semester, Busby entered in
"Life isn't worth living unless you're mentally and physically healthy. I almost lost my mom.I wouldn't want anyone to lose theirs."
Angelaea Busby Miss Kansas America contestant
eight preliminary pageants for the title Miss Kansas America, but she never won. However, four weeks ago, she won the title of Miss Cheney Lake, which allows her to enter next year's Miss Kansas America pageant. At that pageant Busby will continue spreading the word about depression, she said.
"It's kind of a stigma to stay in the closet and not address the illness," Busby said. "But what the public needs to know is that it is an illness and that it can be treated."
Busby's best friend Lisa Woodworth, a junior at Kansas State University, said Busby helped her learn about the illness when her
grandfather was diagnosed with depression.
"Ilearned the most about the illness from her," Woodworth said. "She was in the position where she could listen and she was just supportive."
Busby said that if she won Miss Kansas she would go to schools to teach children about the depression.
"Life isn't worth living unless you're mentally and physically healthy," Busby said. "I almost lost my mom. I wouldn't want anyone to lose theirs."
Six months ago, KU student Lindsay Douglass, Chesterfield, Mo., was awarded Miss USA first runner-up.
The Miss USA pageant does not include a talent competition though the Miss America pageant does.
Busby will compete in the Miss Kansas America pageant in June in Pratt.
Contact Keomanyvong at vkomanyvong@kansan.com. This story was edited by Chris Wintering.
Angelae Busby, Lenexa junior, recently won the title of Miss Cheney Lake. Busby will compete in the Miss Kansas pageant in June, where she will display her baton talents.
Jared Soares/Kansan
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