Sandy Jeffs OAM was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1976 a time when recovery was seen as unlikely. She was in and out of institutional care for 15 years and has been an advocate for people with mental illness for many years. She is a prize-winning poet and the author of 8 collections including the bestselling collection, Poems from the Madhouse, Blood Relations The Wings of Angels: A Memoir of Madness, The Mad Poet' s Tea Party and The Poetics of a Plague. Her non-fiction includes prize-winning books the memoir, Flying with Paper Wings and Out of the Madhouse (with Margaret Leggatt). Sandy Jeffs OAM was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1976 a time when recovery was seen as unlikely. She was in and out of institutional care for 15 years and has been an advocate for people with mental illness for many years. She is a prize-winning poet and the author of 8 collections including the bestselling collection, Poems from the Madhouse, Blood Relations The Wings of Angels: A Memoir of Madness, The Mad Poet' s Tea Party and The Poetics of a Plague. Her non-fiction includes prize-winning books the memoir, Flying with Paper Wings and Out of the Madhouse (with Margaret Leggatt).