Although it was a cold spring morning, on Saturday May 3rd 2008, the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI, had a walkathon to promote mental health in America. This event found a new location at Fejervary Park in Davenport, Iowa since the previous year’s location in Credit Island Park, also in Davenport, was flooded at that time.
Among all of the illnesses that affect humankind – and among the most ignored segments in the world which includes the Hispanic community – are mental illnesses or brain disorders; the community in general needs to be better informed about them because in many cases it is not easy to detect some of these illnesses.
NAMI is considered one of the largest organizations in the United States dedicated to the education and awareness about mental illnesses. They provide support for families and individuals who have been affected by an illness, as well as friends, employers, the law enforcement community, and policymakers; they also promote research on mental illness and brain disorders to improve medical and professional treatment. Some of their main goals are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved and to raise funds for NAMI so it can continue with its noble mission.
According to statistics, mental illnesses affect a large segment of our population. A popular proverb in Spanish says: “Of musician, poet and madness; everybody has a little bit.” Maybe for that reason people tend to ignore those that really suffer some kind of mental illness and it is very important to educate people about all these illnesses and how to manage them.
For more information you may contact the local NAMI offices at (563) 388-9068 or visit them at 4011Warren St. Davenport, Iowa.
Facebook Comments