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Demi Lovato Partners With Mental Health Foundation to Honor Late Dad: “I Want to Make It Up to Him”

"I wanna be there providing that service because I didn't get the chance to do it with my dad and I wanna make it up to him now that he's looking over me," singer tells E! News

By Bruna Nessif Jul 11, 2013 1:38 AMTags
Watch: Demi Lovato Honors Dad With Scholarship

Demi Lovato is keeping the spirit of her father alive.

The singer, who lost her dad last month, tells E! News that she has teamed up with Cast Recovery to start The Lovato Treatment Scholarship, which will help provide services to those with mental illness and seeking treatment.

"My dad suffered from mental illnesses…He was suffering so bad that he couldn't function in society normally and he couldn't get the help that he needed. So, when he passed away, I thought myself, 'I wish there was something I could have done,'" Lovato told us.

"And now, because he's passed away, I felt like it was too late and then I realized, 'Actually, it's not too late.' He wasn't a bad person, I didn't have the best relationship with him and for so many years I was mad at him, but when he passed away I realized none of it was even his fault. He had mental illnesses."

The X Factor judge continued, "So I partnered with Cast Recovery and together we are forming this foundation called The Lovato Treatment Scholarship and that's where me and Cast Recovery are teaming up to provide the services that one person will need to get through treatment.

"Because treatment is actually very, very expensive. And whether it's rehab or in-patient, out-patient—whatever it is—I wanna be there providing that service because I didn't get the chance to do it with my dad and I wanna make it up to him now that he's looking over me."

Details regarding the circumstances of Patrick Lovato's death haven't been released, but he reportedly was battling cancer for the last couple of years..

"I feel so humbled to have had so much support from my fans, friends, family and complete strangers.. ," Demi tweeted a few days after the news went public. "God bless you all, thank you so much."

In addition to the foundation, Demi will be returning as a celebrity mentor—along with Joe Jonas, Shay Mitchell and Dwight Howard—for the Acuvue 1-Day Contest. The contest, now in its third year, will give teen winners the chance to meet and be mentored for a day by one of these celebrities.

"I'm thrilled to return as a mentor this year," the singer said. "Believing in yourself is incredibly important, and I want to motivate and inspire others to go after their dreams without fear."

Tune in to E! News weeknights at 7 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.

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