Schizophrenia Awareness Week

Each year MIFWA together with the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia and the Fellowships around the nation host Schizophrenia Awareness Week (SAW).  SAW is a national awareness week that is held each year in May.  This year it will run from 12-18 May. 

SAW aims to:

• raise community awareness of Schizophrenia and other mental illnesses
• raise community awareness about the physical health of people with mental illness
• address the stigma in the local community surrounding mental illness

This year as part of Schizophrenia Awareness Week MIFWA will be hosting a Linking Mind, Body, Health & Wellbeing Public Forum & Workshop on Thursday 16 May 2013 at The RISE, Function Suite, First Floor, 28 Eighth Avenue (corner of Eighth Avenue & Guildford Road) Maylands.

MIFWA will also be hosting the following events as part of Schizophrenia Awareness Week:

• MIFWA’s Carers Free Movie Event
• MIFWA’s Lorikeet Centre Open Day 

Linking Mind, Body, Health & Wellbeing
Public Forum & Workshop
Program Highlights

Public Forum and Q & A
Physical Health and Wellbeing, Diabetes & Smoking
Sandra Vidot, MIFWA’s Chief Executive Officer
Learne Durrington, CEO, Medicare Local - Perth Central & East Metropolitan
Cathy Caitlin, Executive Director, Australian Council on Smoking & Health (ACOSH)

Holistic Health Presentation
Pharmacy 777, Swarup Afsar, B.Pharm M.P.S., Proprietor

This event is being held as part of MIFWA’s and the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia’s  National Physical Health Campaign looking into the ‘physical health of people with mental illness’.

This year we are focusing on diabetes, as well as smoking, and health and wellbeing because everyone deserves a healthy life and people with mental illness are missing out.

• 25 years can be ripped off a young person’s life, if they have Schizophrenia
• Having Schizophrenia means that you are 50% more likely to have a stroke, 20% more likely to get cancer and have a 1 in 3 chance of developing diabetes
• Disease caused by smoking is the second largest killer of people who have a mental illness.  The prevalence of smoking amongst people with mental illness in Australia is approximately 32% compared with 18% of the general population.

RSVP by Tuesday 14 May (for catering purposes), to Andrea on 08 9228 0200.   Please email communications@mifwa.org.au for a Program of Events.