Community collaboration for mental health and breast cancer awareness in Kenilworth
Various organisations came together at Kenilworth Centre to raise mental health awareness and breast cancer awareness to shoppers.
Image: Wesley Ford
Various organisations came together on the final day of World Mental Health Month on Friday, October 31, at Kenilworth Centre to raise awareness around mental health and violence.
The Observatory-based Cape Mental Health (CMH), a non-profit, was joined by the Callas Foundation, the Mater Domini House, the Lions Club of Tokai, and Claremont police. They were sharing information pamphlets, books, and speaking to shoppers to give them additional information.
CMH communications officer, Barbara Meyer, said they wanted to raise mental health awareness on the final day of World Mental Health Month.
“We wanted to address how violence impacts mental health. We were joined by various organisations, we just wanted to hand out pamphlets, cards, and flowers,” she said.
Ms Meyer said that in Cape Town, it is such an important topic. “Silence hides the violence; we want to raise awareness and ask people to talk more about it,” she said.
Mater Domini chairperson, Bernadette Ross, said many of her clients from her home, which takes care of destitute pregnant women, go through mental health challenges.
“We at Mater Domini provide support for the women, a safe haven as well as counselling, and provide a home for them to grow and to help them find a way to get over their mental health,” she said.
Programme director of the Callus Foundation, Phelisa Mashiyi said: “We partnered with the different organisations to let the community know that support is available for gender-based violence.”
The Breast Care Foundation from Bridgetown also raised awareness, as it was also the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Care Foundation representative, Lee-Anne Florence, said their organisation came to raise funds and breast cancer awareness.
“We came to raise funds by selling cupcakes, jewellery, and ribbons to raise funds to assist our cancer patients,” she said. Ms Florence said they just wanted to raise awareness of their organisation to let the public know that they are out there.
Visit Cape Mental Health, the Callas Foundation, and Mater Domini for more information.
From left are the Cape Mental Health representatives, Leonora Solomons - Jantjies, Claudia Cogill, Barbara Meyer, Deslynn Nel, Zubar Safodien, Luzaan Lambert, Lara Schmidt, Tiffany Thuynsma and Kenilworth Centre representative, Denise Cupido.
Image: Wesley Ford
The Breast Care Foundation representatives from left are, Amoré Visagie, Cheryl Van Wyk and Lee-Anne Florence.
Image: Wesley Ford