Mental Illness Awareness Week - May Update

MIAW News - May 2007

In this issue…

Dear Supporter of Mental Illness Awareness Week:

Welcome to the May 2007 edition of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) News. The goal of this email is to provide you with a brief update on the organization of MIAW, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness And Mental Health’s (CAMIMH’s) annual national public education campaign.

For more information about MIAW or for questions about anything you read in this newsletter, please email Martin Sampson.

Champions of Mental Health Awards – Buy a Table

The fifth annual Champions of Mental Health Awards will be held in Ottawa on October 3, 2007. The Awards honour individuals and organizations who have made a significant contribution to advancing the mental health agenda in Canada.

Tables of eight are now on sale for $1,000 (CAMIMH members) and $1,500 (Non-members). Space is limited, so reserve your table today by contacting us.

Champions of Mental Health Awards – Nominate a Champion

Do you know an individual or a group who has made a significant contribution to advancing the mental health agenda in Canada? Why not nominate them for a Champion of Mental Health Award? Contact us for a nomination form.

The 2007 “Faces” Campaign – Call for Nominations

Once again, we are calling on members of the CAMIMH network to assist us in finding the ‘Faces’ for MIAW 2007. If you know someone who is living successfully with mental illness and who is willing to share their story to inspire others, please nominate them. To request a nomination package, please send us an email.

Sponsorship

Mental Illness Awareness Week could not be produced without the support of our dedicated sponsors. We are very pleased to announce that the following organizations are supporting MIAW again this year: Canada Post Corporation, Fleishman-Hillard Canada, The Globe and Mail, (Platinum), Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Time Magazine (Silver), Bell Canada, Lilly (Bronze), CN, RBC Financial Group (Friends).

Our efforts in this area are continuing, and we hope in our next update to be able to tell you that we are closer to achieving our fundraising objectives. MIAW runs exclusively on the funding and support we receive from our sponsors. This means that the survival of the campaign is contingent on their continued support. If your organization, or someone you know, wants to play a part as sponsor, please let us know. We have expanded the sponsorship categories so there is an opportunity for everyone to show their support of MIAW. To request a sponsorship package, please send us an email.

Website

We are pleased to announce the launch of the brand new Mental Illness Awareness Week website: www.miaw-ssmm.ca. We encourage you to visit the site, order campaign materials, download tools and resources, and post your MIAW 2007 event.

Any feedback you have on the site is appreciated. Please send us an email.

MIAW 2007 Event Listing

If you are organizing an event for MIAW 2007, please post it on the website here.

To obtain campaign materials (posters and bookmarks) for your event, place your order online here.

Advocacy

On May 17, 2007, the Honorable Michael Kirby, Canada's first Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, gave a speech at the Empire Club in Toronto, Ontario. Thanks to the Mood Disorders Society of Canada that speech is available to the readers of MIAW News. This is a must read for all parties interested in the focus of the Commission and the Commissioner's views.

Michael Kirby's Speech

Background on the Mental Health Commission of Canada

On March 19, 2007, the government announced funding in the federal budget for the creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada which will be chaired by the Honourable Michael Kirby. This announcement is the culmination of many years of collaborative work undertaken by members of CAMIMH, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, and many other key stakeholders in the mental health community. CAMIMH very much looks forward to working with the government, the Honourable Michael Kirby, and our partners and members to make the Commission a success.

About CAMIMH

CAMIMH is the largest and most comprehensive mental health coalition in Canada. It is comprised of associations that represent patients, professionals, service providers, researchers, clients and their families. For more information, please visit www.camimh.ca.

Once again – thank you all for your continued support of MIAW!

National Director, Mental Illness Awareness Week
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health
www.camimh.ca
www.miaw-ssmm.ca