To mark Mental Health Awareness Month (October), Pharma Dynamics has thrown its weight behind this year’s Hope Hike initiative taking place on 5 and 12 October in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.
“We are expecting a turnout of 3 000 people and aim to raise in the region of R200 000.”
Celebrities such as Dana Snyman, Mabet van Wyk, Haidee Muller, Elana Afrika, who have each been affected by depression – either as a patient or as a loved one to someone living with depression, will also be there to show their support. All funding goes towards the Ithemba Foundation to promote further research into depression,” says van Aswegen.
The Ithemba Foundation was established by well-known author and journalist, Professor Lizette Rabe, in 2012 after the tragic death of one of her sons as a result of depression.
Prof Rabe, who has become a mental health advocate since then, points out that while the staggering economic cost of depression is something that can be calculated; what cannot be calculated is the indescribable human suffering caused by depression and related mental illnesses – caused as much by a biological malfunction of the body as any other disease – in this case, our most important organ, the brain.
She says because society as a whole still stigmatises mental diseases instead of acknowledging them as biological diseases, suffering not only continues, but escalates.
“We can all be agents of change by breaking the silence and the stigma attached to mental health. It is important to understand that being depressed is not about just ‘feeling down’ and it will not disappear by ‘just pulling yourself together’. It is a medical condition with biological causes, and as with other diseases and illnesses, it requires medical treatment.
“Depression and anxiety among the general community is still not well known and understood, and not an illness which is spoken about openly enough in society, which is why there is such a great need for awareness campaigns such as the Hope Hike. We are extremely grateful to Pharma Dynamics for their support and ongoing efforts to help destigmatise the condition.
“If you get the right help, there is hope. But you can’t get started if you aren’t willing to talk about it and it will not disappear if you ignore it. More importantly, we should not think any differently about somebody simply because their illness is above the neck rather than below the neck.
“We need to not only provide avenues for people to seek help, but we need to educate everyone on recognising the warning signs, not only in themselves, but also in others. Early recognition of symptoms and the necessary treatment can improve the quality of life – and ultimately, save lives,” says Prof Rabe.
Show your support this October by choosing between a 3km, 5km or 10km route through the beautiful vineyards of the
Cape or the majestic Magaliesburg Mountains. Entries cost R30 (3 km), R50 (5km) or R75 (10km). Children under twelve are free, but parents’ supervision is required at all times. Bring your family and friends and pack a picnic for afterwards or buy snacks from the D’Aria food stalls or Van Gaalen’s Cheese Deli.
To register, go to www.iqela-events.co.za and click on the Hope Hike logo to secure your place as entries are limited.
If you can’t join the Hope Hike in either Cape Town or Johannesburg, wear the colour sky-blue (to symbolise hope) on October 10 (World Mental Health Day) or order a beaded awareness ribbon from ithembafoundation@mweb.co.za.
• Details: Visit www.letstalkmental.co.za/.
