Family Forum Newsletter - St. Joseph`s Health Care London

VOLUME 4
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age 3
The Family Advisory Council of Regional Mental Health Care London and
Southwest Center for Forensic Mental Health Care
Family Forum Newsletter
Spring 2014
Inside This Issue
1 Breakfast of Champions
2 Poem – Out of the Box
3 Mental Health Innovation Network
Breakfast of Champions – April 29
Musical artist Chantal Kreviazuk
will share her experience with
mental illness and how it has
affected her activism and songwriting at this year’s Breakfast of
Champions.
3 15th Annual Research Half Day
4 Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Greetings
5 Easter Poem
6 Community Housing in Belgium
6 The laughing corner
7. Services for families
“I want people to realize that we’re all born with unique challenges. When
we isolate people because of their differences, the fabric of our society is
comprised.” –Chantal Kreviazuk
8. Calendar of events
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On April 29, at the London Convention Centre, six-time platinum
selling artist, double Juno award winner and one of Canada’s most
beloved musicians Chantal Kreviazuk will share her experiences
th
with mental illness through words and songs at the 8 annual
Breakfast of Champions event.
Presented in partnership by St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation
and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Breakfast of
Champions raises awareness and funds for mental health programs
in the community.
This year’s event includes a buffet breakfast, the presentation of the
“Champion of Mental Health Award” and a special acoustic
performance and candid conversation with Chantal Kreviazuk.
Proceeds from the Breakfast of Champions will support mental
health care programs in our community.
Tickets are $60 per person or $600 for a table of 10 (parking
included) and can be purchased online at sjhcfoundation.org or by
calling, 519 646-6085.
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Out of the Box
(by Patricia Henry)
The wooden box,
With slats wide,
A worn playpen.
Tucked away in the corner of
The busy kitchen.
Patsy – the fifth babesmiling, watching, listening;
Safely – inside
Too big for the box now,
Mama says she must leave.
Anna Clare, the big sister,
Her hand, Patsy will take,
Holding on – ever so tightly.
A new baby – Mary-Jo,
Takes her place.
So bold.
No need for the box does she.
Patsy likes her – she guesses!
Do Mama and Daddy need
Little Patsy, anymore?
To school Patsy goes,
Scary, though it is,
She smiles, a good little girl,
always.
Pushing, spooky feelings –
way, way down.
To home, to safety – at days end
Patsy – the shadow of Anna Clare.
Family Forum Newsletter
Alone – no worries,
Playing for others,
She does it – Mama and Daddy so
happy.
Pushing the fright down.
Patsy – now Pat,
Friends she has,
Her answer – agree –please them
so!
That’s what she does,
They will never know,
A mask she learns to wear
Over and over, again.
Pat takes a partner,
Four children she bares,
Joseph, Jason, Christopher,
Kathryn,
Her life, her heart her soul,
Her reason for being!
“How do you do it?”
People ask of Pat,
With a smile.
Anger – never good!
Keep fearful thoughts,
Buried – deeply inside.
Pat breaks – into so many pieces
Daddy bought something –
so shiny, so pretty,
So, so big.
Deep ebony and keys of pearl.
Patsy feels the sound – so real, so
softly.
Daddy – very pleased.
Her four reasons for being
Letting them down so,
It would be best just to die.
She doesn’t want to.
Thoughts consume her.
The black hole – deep now,
The years – a fog – a blur,
She struggles – the panic, the fear,
Always there, now.
She can’t run away.
The mask comes off.
Will there ever be safety?
Out of the Box.
Patsy’s piano becomes her safety,
her box.
Sitting, quietly, oh, the cool
smoothness
Of the keys.
Something amazing is happening
In her sixth decade!
She may have a voice
It is okay to cry, to feel angry, to
feel joy,
To have choices!
Could it be?
Could it happen?
A light shining so brightly;
So much to see.
Acting as if until she gets it.
Balance – a wise mind.
Is Patsy – just Pat,
Becoming Patricia?
Accepting what she cannot
change,
Knowing the difference – Serenity,
The wooden slats open.
She creeps ever so slowly,
On wobbly legs,
One foot in front of the other.
She moves forward,
Her reasons for being
Have grown to fifteen!
Her children, her grand-babes,
Still, with her!
Patricia believing, “Life is what it
is!”
Out of the Box.
Congratualtions Patricia for
your courage in submitting
your poem and having it
published in “An Anthology
of Creative Writing” by The
Canadian Poetry Institute.
Page 3
Family Forum Newsletter
The 15th Annual Research Half Day
Introducing the Mental Health Innovation Network
website. This site provides the reader with some
very innovative mental health programs. Take the
time to peruse the site and read about some very
interesting and exciting programs.
http://mhinnovation.net/innovation/
Their Goal
There is a growing commitment to develop,
evaluate, and scale up promotion, prevention and
treatment innovations for mental disorders around
the world. The Mental Health Innovation Network
(MHIN) was initiated in June 2013 to nurture this
commitment and accelerate progress towards
implementation of these innovations with the
ultimate goal of reducing the global burden of
mental disorders.
Who they are
MHIN’s activities are supported by a team of
researchers and policy makers from the London
School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine’s Centre
for Global Mental Health and the World Health
Organization’s Department for Mental Health and
Substance Abuse. MHIN is funded by Grand
Challenges Canada.
What they do
MHIN seeks to improve the lives of those affected
by MNS disorders globally by facilitating the
development and uptake of effective innovations
to reduce the challenges they face. MHIN aims to
do this by:
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Enabling learning
Building partnerships
Synthesizing and disseminating knowledge
Leveraging resources
The 15th Annual Research Half Day will be held on
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at Regional Mental
Health Care London. This year the guest speaker
of The Tony Cerenzia Research Lecture will be Dr.
David Goldbloom, Chair of the Mental Health
Commission of Canada. Those who attend have a
great opportunity to hear about the current
research that is being done in the area of mental
health. Research in mental health is important to
clarify both the causes and best approaches to
manage the disorders that affect patients. The
Mental Health Research Committee promotes,
facilitates and oversees mental health research
occurring within Regional Mental Health
Care London and Southwest Centre for Forensic
Mental Health Care.
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Family Forum Newsletter
Family Forum Newsletter
Page 5
Christ has Risen!
Christ has Risen!
Easter at our house
We went to church dressed up all fine
Now back at home it’s party time
Decorating eggs in a way that’s arty
Our house has the very best Easter party
My father hides eggs in the wildest places
Then he calls all the kids and it’s off to the races
My grandpa comes dressed as a giant bunny
But he says that he’s the Tooth Fairy just to be funny
We don’t forget this is an important day
Remembering that the Lord was taken away
And then brought back, and spring’s that way too
So Easter means fun, and a chance to renew
From: http://www.classroomjr.com/printable-easter-kids-poems/easter-poem-family-gathering
Page 6
Family Forum Newsletter
Community Housing in Belgium
The CBC news reported on a very inspiring story regarding community
housing for psychiatric patients in a little community called Geel in Belgium.
The article titled “Psychiatric community care: Belgian town sets gold standard”
is accessible at this link:
http://news.ca.msn.com/topstories/psychiatriccommunity-care-belgian-townsets-gold-standard-1 .
What starts with E, ends with
E and only has one letter?
What nails do carpenters hate to hit?
What is the difference between a locomotive
engineer and a teacher?
What do you call an alligator in a vest?
How do hair stylists speed up their
job?
What can you put in a barrel
to make it lighter?
What do you call a story
about a broken pencil?
Answers: An envelope – Fingernails - One minds the train, one trains the mind. – An investigator - Holes –
They take short cuts! - Pointless
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Family Forum Newsletter
The Tillmann Family Resource Centre offers a variety of services for families their
loved ones and mental health professionals, including:
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A resource library which contains current books, magazines, videos, audio tapes, and pamphlets on most mental
illnesses
An opportunity to meet one-on-one with another family member who has had a personal experience with mental illness
and the mental health system
Participation in a support group comprised of 5-10 family members affected by mental illness and facilitated by a trained
family member (every second Tuesday)
A free seven week family education course offered twice per year (Spring/Fall)
Speakers
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3 for community groups
Family Forum Newsletter
Membership on the Family Advisory Council
A computer for family members to search for internet information on mental health
We are located at Regional Mental Health Care London
850 Highbury Ave. N., Room A117
(down the left hallway off the main foyer of RMHC London).
The resource centre is open:
Monday to Friday: 8 am - 4 pm (unless otherwise posted)
Contact us at: 519 455-5110 Ext. 47440 or visit our webpage
http://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/mental-health-care/tillmann-family-resource-centre-and-family-advisory-council
Attention Family Members!
Did you know that we offer a FREE support group to family members who are supporting a
loved one with a mental illness?
The Support Group meets every second Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:00, at Regional Mental
Health Care London.
Interested in this group, call the Tillmann Family Resource Centre at 519-455-5110, Ext.
47440 for further details.
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Family Forum Newsletter
March 2014
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Here is a list of some upcoming activities happening
involving the Family Advisory Council or other groups to
educate or assist patients and their families. Contact the
Family Resource Centre at 519 – 455-5110 Ext. 47440
Family Education Course: March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17,
24, May 1
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Good Friday: April 18
Easter Sunday: April 20
Family Advisory Council: April 14, May 12, June 9
Contact: Wendy Sanderson-Culley
Senior Development Officer
519-646-6100, ext. 65454
Donations for the Family Resource Centre can be
made directly to:
St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation
Attn: Dr. Wm. A. Tillmann Memorial Fund
Resource Centre for Families
268 Grosvenor Street
London, ON N6A 4V2
This newsletter is intended to be used as a communication
vehicle by the Family Advisory Council at Regional Mental
Health Care London and Southwest Centre for Forensic
Mental Health with families who share common interests
and concerns. The information herein is believed to be
accurate; St. Joseph’s Health Care, the Family Advisory
Council, and the author(s) cannot be held responsible for
any errors. It is the responsibility of the reader to work with
professionals when making any clinical decisions
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Family Support Group – April 1, 15, 29, May 13, 27
If you are interested in donating to Regional Mental Health
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