KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The mental health team at the Kansas City Veteran`s Affairs Medical Center is hoping a special celebrity will visit while she`s in town next month.

“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.”

That quote from actress Carol Burnett greets patients in the entrance to the substance abuse and rehabilitation clinic.

“People can provide you help and support all day long, but unless you do something for yourself — somebody can hand you everything in the world, but unless you take that opportunity, nothing else is going to happen,” veteran Heather Cafferty said.

Veterans like Cafferty said it’s comforting to see the quote on the wall of the clinic as soon as you walk in.

“It’s extremely inspiring, and it gives you that opportunity, that self-worth that sometimes you lose, especially veterans, because once you get out of the service, it’s kind of losing that purpose, that camaraderie. So it kind of brings back into perspective that only you are in control of your life,” Cafferty added.

It’s something they see every single day while they’re here.

“Our veterans are very inspired by the quote. When they walk in our doors, it’s the first thing they see,” said Casaundra Harbaugh, the staff psychologist at the Kansas City VA.

Burnett, the person behind the inspiring quote, is coming to Kansas City on Nov. 6, and the staff and patients are hoping she’ll make an appearance.

“Having her come here and give the veterans some humor and giving her insight — she’s been a lot of places and seen a lot of things, so it’s always a good boost in morale for everybody,” Cafferty said. “Just to better myself. Twenty-two veterans a day commit suicide, and not taking care of mental health and not taking care of yourself is one of the big things and this program really provides that.”

“Knowing that is the perspective our staff takes, that they are in control of their lives, they are the ones that can make this change, I think that empowers them,” Harbaugh said.