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What Donnell Cameron found during his first time at Hazelden in 1994 was more than sobriety—he saw a glimpse of an entirely new way to live. “I recall feeling for the first time that I now had tools to live in sobriety,” he says. It was the beginning of a long, winding journey marked by resilience, setbacks, and ultimately, transformation.
Donnell’s struggle with addiction began at 16. “I became an addict right away,” he recalls. Years of substance use followed, including a devastating return to use in 2007 that nearly cost him his life. “Without treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford, I don’t think I would have survived. It was a matter of life and death.”
The care he received at Hazelden Betty Ford’s Center City, Minnesota, campus changed everything. “This time I connected more with my counselors and the other men. I remember feeling that I was an important part of the community,” Donnell says. “I never felt judged.”
He embraced recovery wholeheartedly, knowing that his “life depended on it." He attended AA meetings, worked with a sponsor, and made recovery his top priority. Just weeks later, he met Rima.
“Before meeting Donnell, I had no knowledge of the disease of alcoholism and addiction,” Rima shares. “Through AA meetings, Al-Anon, and Hazelden Betty Ford’s Renewal Center programs, I learned how to support him in his sobriety.”
Together, the Camerons have turned their personal journey into a mission to help others. “My motivation is personal,” Donnell explains. “Hazelden Betty Ford saved my life, and I’ll do anything I can do to make restitution for what’s been freely given to me.” The couple has donated annually since Donnell last completed treatment. In 2024, they donatedd $1 million to the Betty Ford Center’s campus transformation.
“We are blessed to be able to financially support causes we believe in,” says Rima. “And we’re happy to support the mission of Hazelden Betty Ford in helping folks find sobriety.”
The Camerons’ commitment to paying it forward goes beyond philanthropy. Last year, they helped Rima’s relative begin his own recovery at Hazelden Betty Ford, and they’ve helped other friends find help as well. “Almost every person I know has someone who has been through this or is going through it,” Rima says of substance use disorders. “It’s a huge problem. Anything one can do to help—it’s important.”
For Donnell, the message to anyone struggling is clear: “The journey is not an easy one, but don’t ever give up. Come right back.”
The Camerons’ story is one of hope, healing, and giving back—a testament to the power of recovery and the ripple effect of generosity.
