Mental Illness Awareness Week

PENTICTON – The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is a non-profit organization comprised of health care providers as well as organizations which represent individuals with lived experience of mental illness.

Established in 1998, CAMIMH is a volunteer run organization that provides mental health education to the public. A fundamental objective of CAMIMH is to engage Canadians in a national conversation about mental illness.

By starting this conversation, CAMIMH hopes to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and provide insight into the services and support available to those living with mental illness.

One of CAMIMH’s major annual initiatives is the Faces of Mental Illness campaign, a national education campaign that operates in conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). MIAW will reach more Canadians than ever before through their annual campaigns. Please join the conversation and help put an end to the stigma associated with mental illness.

In the South Okanagan Similkameen, 16,800 persons will have a mental health concern during their lifetime. For some persons, these will be serious and persistent health concerns that require careful medical care and social support with education for the person and their support network.

You can help your partner, parent, sibling, family member, friend, co-worker by learning about mental illness and coping. Make mental health matter.

Local events include:

Art Show Penticton Art Gallery Sept. 18 to Nov. 8

Pasta dinner at the Bufflehead Pasta and Tapas Room Lakeside Resort and Casino Oct. 7 at 6.30 p.m.

For more information visit the Mental Wellness Centre at  #118 – 246 Martin Street or call 250-493-7338.