Fort MacMurray, mental health

Mental health awareness week will be recognized in Fort MacMurray from Sunday, October 5, 2014 through October 11, 2014. The Canadian Mental Health Association will sponsor events and hope to raise awareness of mental health issues in the Fort MacMurray area. This will be the 22nd Mental Health Awareness Week, and the events are held on a yearly basis. The goal is to remove the stigma associated with mental health issues, and to make communities aware of mental health resources that are available. Educating people on mental illness and teaching individuals what they can do to help someone with these problems is essential to ensuring that everyone who needs mental health help receives it. It is time that mental illness receives the same attention and resources that other medical conditions do, without the stigma often associated with mental illness.

Emma Murray, who is the events coordinator for the Canadian Mental Health Association, was quoted as saying “It’s an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. Nearly one in five Canadians is affected by mental illness, but yet a persistent stigma prevents millions from getting the help they need. So one in five Canadians is affected by mental illness, (but) four in five can help.” The events in Fort MacMurray will start with a community walk on Sunday. According to Murray “(The walk) is about fighting the stigma and raising awareness by walking along Franklin Avenue, with signs, posters and balloons, and creating that awareness.”