Mental Illness Awareness Week 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt this program for a special announcement:

This year’s Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is on September 30 - October 6 for us, Canucks (and on Oct. 7-13, 2012 south of the border)

What the heck is MIAW about?

Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The week was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada.

Campaign elements include: a grassroots public education initiative; a nationally-distributed poster and bookmark series; the Annual Champions of Mental Health Awards luncheon in Ottawa and an education initiative with federal Members of Parliament, both in their home ridings and on Parliament Hill.

As you know, Mental Illness runs deep in my family. And after ~~years~~ decades of carrying the stigma, I decided to break free and become very vocal about Mental Illness and Mental Health.

Cool! But MIAW is more than a month away, why are you telling me now?

Well, here’s the thing:

CAMIMH is asking for our help.

They have FREE bilingual MIAW campaign material (Posters, brochures, bookmarks and silicone bracelets) that you can order online and distribute to help spread the word and fight the stigma.

But! There’s less than 2 WEEKS LEFT to order them.

Perhaps you can bring some material to your gym? or post a few brochures/posters on the community board of your local grocery store or your favourite coffee shop? At your office, your kids’ school? Organize a tupperware party, a movie night or a girls night in/out and give the bracelets as a party favour? Get creative. Come up with innovative ideas to share the goods.

Again, it’s free. You don’t have to donate anything (although you are most welcome to do so) and you don’t have to be associated with a group or community. Any individual or organization is welcome to order. Just write “personal dissemination” where it asks you to list an organization.

I already ordered a bunch and I plan to display it at the studio. Will you?

GET INVOLVED

PS: American friends you can download stickers, posters and a web banner to use on websites or in documents from the NAMI website

PS 2: Also, please help spread the word by reblogging, retweeting, posting of Facebook, Google+ and other Social Networks. We all need to fight the stigma associated with Mental Health!