10 years of providing an outlet for mental health sufferers celebrated
Founding members and staff plant pecan tree as a symbol of longevity and abundance
The road to recovery can begin with a gentle hand and calm words.
Founding members and current staff of the Malcolm Road mental health facility gathered in the peaceful gardens of their grounds to mark the end of their first decade of service. Turning an old guesthouse from a place of temporary relaxation into a haven of long-term recuperation, Life Poortview has served as a centre of solitude for many suffering with depression, anxiety and associated mental-health conditions.
The day’s celebration began in the lush foliage of the tranquil gardens were they added a living reminder of the group’s hard work. Accompanied by a bench with a plaque marking the progress, a pecan tree was planted as a symbol of longevity, abundance and sustenance while also expressing the significance of healthy living, signs of progress and the ability to survive.
Life Poortview Nurse Manager, Dr Marisa Roets, opened the presentation with words by Henry Ford quoting, “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success. Don’t find fault, find a remedy.” Dr Roets then outlined the ethos with which their mission is carried out, stressing that the intention is not only to grow but to make a difference by creating a centre where people can be helped.
The centre was the brainchild of Dr Marinda Overbeek who, with the help of other founding members, evolved the facility into an trusted 80-bed mental health brand that specialises in the voluntary and involuntary treatment of general psychiatry. While no longer with the facility, Dr Overbeek spoke about her passion for helping sufferers with poor mental health and reminisced about the good and bad times along what she described as ‘an amazing journey’.
Also read: https://www.citizen.co.za/roodepoort-record/2016/10/07/mental-illness-is-not-a-weakness-dr-kalaba/
After securing the pecan tree, the party retreated indoors for coffee, tea, cupcakes and the exchanging of old war stories.
Elaborating on the importance of having such a facility easily accessible to the community, Dr Roets added, “There is a strong stigma against mental health and our work is about breaking that stigma. Here we like to create a home away from home in a therapeutic environment.”
