I was on the treadmill and I glanced up at the SkyNews just in time to read the words the Prime Minister and Bipolar in the same sentence. “What was that?” perked my interest. It took another 15 minutes of persistence treadmill before the sentence appeared again. “PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd will join rugby league great Andrew Johns on Sunday as he kicks off a six-day walk to raise funds to help tackle bipolar disorder.” Hey that walk is nothing compared to our trek to the South and North Pole. How come we haven’t been successful in getting the Prime Ministers interest in our trek?
Johns, a veteran of 249 first-grade matches, 21 State of Origin appearances and 26 Test matches, went public about his battle with bipolar disorder last year. Australia loves its sport. If there was a key sports player on the expedition I am sure there would be enough media interest to assist us with our campaign.
Mental illness in the past was something often hidden behind the family home. Since embarking on this journey I have started receiving some really positive emails. Some are from strangers but others are from people I know who have have been touched by a mental illness in their lives. One of the recent emails I wanted to post today is about the impact of children when there is mental illness in the family.
I am a little overwhelmed by this, especially in terms of timing. This too is very close to my heart, and I know first hand how little awareness and support there is for people with the illness and also their families. Especially the children of a parent with a mental illness. My mum was diagnosed with bipolar and I have experienced this all my life. Sadly, last year the illness got the best of my mum, and she passed away. I have only been recently thinking about ways to make her death into a positive. Thinking of ways of creating awareness into the community. My biggest thing as a child was that no one ever explained things to me. Why my mum was always in hospital, why she was so angry with me. There was certainly some support for her and my dad, but as a child I was left out of the picture. Maybe nowadays (but in some ways some how I doubt it) things have improved, but i certainly think that the children need a lot more attention than what they had been given in the past. I guess I have been wondering where to start…….then i receive your email. I start HERE!!!
There are some internet sights that do list carer support for young adults and children. Reach Out! is a web-based service that inspires young people to help themselves through tough times. The aim of the service is to improve young people’s mental health and well being by providing support information and referrals in a format that appeals to young people. Does anyone else know of good support networks aimed for supporting and education children in mental health?
Come and join me from 7:30am to 3:30pm at the Mt Gravatt Bunnings Store where I will be managing the Saturday Sausage Sizzle! All sausages and drinks sold will go towards the Bipolar Expedition.
Right before Christmas 13th of December will guarantee lots of Christmas sales!
Address: Cnr Creek Rd & Wecker Rd, Mt Gravatt 4122
Thanks to Bunnings Hardware for offering me a place in their Community Sausage Sizzle.
Well the fundraising has been slow but constant so I should be happy with my efforts so far. Slow and steady wins the race. That’s the best way to be. Always when I trek I keep this mantra of slow and steady. I don’t have to be the fastest but I get there in the end. Donations are still coming through on the go fundraise website which is good. I am demonstrating 1 to 2 Tupperware parties a week which is an extra $200 to $300. Also I have just received notification that the local Bunnings have allocated me a Sausage Sizzle Fundraising day in either November or December. Bunnings is fairly competitive to get a space so I am lucky to be accepted. I registered over six months ago but had not heard a response so the email was very welcomed.
I am also holding a wine fundraiser at the moment. About 5% of wines ordered will go towards the expedition. If you would like to order some wines for Christmas the order form can be found here: sth-pole-wine-order-form.pdf
I have been thinking of holding a Bipolar Art and Sculpture Exhibit next year with other Brisbane expedition fundraisers. I know of a few artists who have offered to donate their work but I was thinking of having a theme to tie it all in. How about the “Art of the Extremes?”
On Wednesday was my first fundraiser and awareness event, An Inspirational Story with Craig Hamilton. The group was an intimate crowd of my local supporters as well as people from the public. Craig presented for over an hour on his story leading up to his diagnosis of bipolar disorder with funny anecdotal snippets supporting a very important message of education and the lifestyle management for Bipolar Disorder.
I was fortunate to spend some time over coffee with Craig before his presentation to understand why he is so committed to raising media awareness for Bipolar Disorder, eight years after his initial diagnosis. But as he quoted Martin Luther King during his presentation, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” was my answer.
Below are some photos taken on the night. Big Thank You to my mum and sisters Rebecca and Jennifer and my volunteers, Tracy and Mary-Anne. Also thank you to Sarina Russo Vocational Health for sponsoring the night.
The last photo is the Brisbane Bipolar Expedition Group.
If you would like to order Craig’s Book please click here. If you mention my name, Craig will donate $10 to the Bipolar Expedition.
I have had a little more media response over the past few days which is excellent. Tomorrow morning Craig will be interviewed at 6:45AM on the Brisbane ABC radio so please listen in to the Breakfast show. It has been a little difficult to gauge who will coming tomorrow night as not everyone has RSVPed by donation but I expect it will still be a great presentation on bipolar disorder. There should also be an article and photo in the local Quest papers in the next week too. I think I have done everything I can possibly do to market the event so fingers crossed…
Fortunately I have a great team of family and friends who are helping me out (what would I do without them!). The event is to raise awareness and if I can add any fundraising dollars to the expedition it will be a bonus.
Mental Health Week launches this Sunday at the Roma Street Parklands. I will be there handing out some flyers encouraging people to attend to my event. I hope to see you all there!
Watch Brisbane celebrities row for their favourite mental health
charity in the “Row off for Mental Health”.
Groove with our band Angels of Fire and many more great
entertainers.
Choose from a range of stress relieving activities including free
massages, pilates and yoga. And then channel all that inspiration
into painting your own ‘happy’ picture.
Enjoy a free sausage sizzle! Heaps of freebies, magazines,
brochures and information stalls will be available for you to learn
about mental wellbeing and reducing stress.
The mission of the World Federation for Mental Health is to promote the advancement of mental health awareness, prevention of mental disorders, advocacy, and best practice recovery focused interventions worldwide. 2008 marks 60 years of global mental health advocacy. A new report on the site is learning about Bipolar Disorder: An Educational Packet of Information on Stories of Diagnosis, Treatment and Recovery!
The report is structured into six chapters:
Chapter One - The Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder: Searching for Help
Chapter Two - Learning about My Bipolar Disorder
Chapter Three - Treating Bipolar Disorder
Chapter Four - Growing up with Bipolar Disorder
Chapter Five - The Road to Recovery
A Guide for Healthcare Professionals around the Globe.
The impact of Bipolar Disorder is deeply personal, affecting almost all facets of an individual’s life. In some cases, a diagnosis of the disorder prevents that individual’s very acceptance into society. For most, the disorder negatively impacts relationships with family and friends, and the ability to maintain employment and secure adequate housing. But for all, the chronic nature of the disorder and tendency for multiple relapses means that they and their loved ones must put forth significant effort - on a day-to-day basis - to get and stay well.
This packet contains information on the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder, as well as important information for caregivers on helping someone they love on the road to recovery. An easy-to-read guide on diagnosis and treatment, geared toward healthcare workers and traditional healers around the world, is also included. This guide will be especially valuable in regions of the world where there is no psychiatrist or trained mental health professional available to diagnose and treat the disease.
Tomorrow morning (Monday) Craig Hamilton and I will be interviewed on 101FM Logan City Radio. It will be a lot of fun! I’ve never been on the radio before but hopefully there will be some great listeners who will be inspired to come to my event on the 8th of October. Mental Health Week launches this Sunday at the Roma Street Parklands. I will be there handing out some flyers encouraging people to attend to my event. I hope to see you all there!
Mental Health Week is an annual national awareness event. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the wider community, to increase community awareness and education about mental health issues and to encourage participation in life enhancing lifestyles.
In Queensland, Mental Health Week is coordinated by a state planning committee, comprising representatives from the Mental Health Association, the Queensland Alliance, Queesland Health, Disability Services Queensland and a consumer and carer representative.
Local and regional events are organised by local groups and communities throughout Queensland. These events:
highlight statewide initiatives, activities and events
to increase knowledge and community education about mental health issues
foster a more supportive and informed attitude to those who live with mental illness
to encourage participation in healthy lifestyle strategies.
In 2008 Mental Health Week will run from Sunday 5 October through to Saturday 11 October.
I started back at the gym on Friday night. I have been a member of the gym for years and go through phases like the rest to the world, of going and not going. Meanwhile the credit card gets debited every week even if I go or not. For the past few years I have tried lots of forms of exercise to keep motivated. I have tried swing dancing, trekking, personal training, Bootcamp, boxing, swimming, and numerous pump classes. When I was accepted to go on the expedition I got a great program written up by Executive Excellence (the company who took me on the Kokoda Trail last year) but to keep motivated is the hardest. Every week I write in my diary on alternate days, “Gym.” Go to the Gym. Every week I am lucky if I tick that item off my list. When I get to the gym I do a lot of watching… I play with my ipod, watch the TV, watch the clock (is fifteen minutes up yet?? hurry up), watch the other gym enthusists…wonder how to use half the equipment and remind myself that next time I will actually ask someone.
This morning Sunday I was really quite enthusiastic to start the day off at a session at the gym. I got up, ate breakfast, had a coffee, got dressed and got in the car. Drove to the gym and guess what! It hadn’t even opened yet. So I drove home. Does that count? I will go to the gym again today I promise.
Oct 26th, 2008 | 
