feedback report

2003 Brain awareness week
10 - 16 March 2003

Another Brain Awareness Week (BAW) campaign has come to a close. The focus of this years's campaign was to demystify and clarify the neuro (brain) sciences. The Mental Health Information Centre of South Africa (MHIC) is pleased to report here on all the activities organised with our BAW partners to promote this focus.

MEDIA LAUNCH
On 19 February we launched the campaign with a Media Tea at the Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town. Attending media representatives commented on the high standard of information received and professionalism of the event. Media kits packed with information from all our campaign partners and a line-up of top speakers offered the journalists much to report on.

Presenting at the Media Launch, from left to right are Dr Frans Hugo (Panorama Memory Clinic), Charmaine Hugo (MHIC), Dr Felix Potocnik (Tygerberg Memory Clinic), Prof Vivienne Russell (SANS & UCT), Liezel King (CMHS), Christine Lochner (MRC Unit on Anxiety Disorders) and Jane Metelo-Liquito (MHIC).

The media launch and subsequent press releases resulted in 20 internet articles and announcements, 21 radio interveiws on local and national radio stations and 10 newspaper articles and announcements!

NEUROSCIENCE WORKSHOP
On Saturday 15 March we ran a neuroscience workshop for mental health consumer and advocacy group facilitators at the Panorama Medi-Clinic.

Workshop speakers included: Pam Hansford (Physiotherapist), Dr Suzanne Shuda (Clinical Psychologist), Prof Willie Daniels (Medical Physiologist), Dr Linda de Villiers (Physician), Kashifa Abrahams (Occupational Therapist), and Paul Serebro (Co-founder of OCD Association SA). These speakers explained their work and the latest advances within their fields. The "train-the-trainer" format of the workshop enabled facilitators to convey the information learnt to the members of their groups. Comments from speakers and participants included:

"Congratulations to you and everyone who contributed towards putting together an excellent day, packed with information and expressing quality care … . Thank you for inviting me to be part of this special development." Dr Suzanne Shuda (Clinical Psychologist).

"I enjoyed the range of topics addressed. I have made contact with the presenters and will be contacting them for follow-up articles. I was also able to network with a variety of support group members with whom I haven't had much contact thus far. I learnt a lot about the work they are doing and we've discussed ways in which we could work closer together in the future." Ilze Pauw (Clinical Psychologist and journalist with Health24.).

EDUCATIONAL TALKS AND MEMORY TESTING
Jane Metelo-Liquito from the Mental Health Information Centre gave a stress management talk to the students of the Architectural Technology Department at Cape Technikon.

"Thank you very much for a most appropriate and informative presentation delivered to our staff and students today on "Stress Management". We are grateful for the time you took to enlighten our students on the subject and to suggest to them ways of coping with this problem." Assistant Head of Department: Jolanda Morkel.

The Tygerberg Memory Clinic, headed by Dr Felix Potocnik and assisted by students from Stellenbosch University Faculty of Health Sciences, visited Langspanbrink Old-Age Home in Strand on 12 March, and, in partnership with ARDA Western Cape, Stellenbosch Campus on 13 March where they presented on memory-related topics and conducted free memory testing. Both meetings were well attended with over 100 participants.

Memory talk at Panorama Medi-Clinic

The Panorama Memory Clinic offered a similar service to the community. On Wednesday 12 March, Drs Frans Hugo, Linda van Wyk and Francois Janse van Rensburg gave public presentations on neuroscience and memory- related topics. Free memory testing was also conducted. Over 100 members of the public attended the talks.

On 13 and 14 March Drs Hugo and van Wyk talked on dementia and memory-related topics at the Parow Senior Centre and the Cape Jewish Seniors Association respectively. These, too, were well attended and received.

PUBLIC AWARENESS
Public awareness of the brain and neurosciences was stimulated by a neuroscience crossword puzzle competition. The crosswords were developed in English and Afrikaans and placed on participating organisation websites. To raise awareness of assistance available in the community, support and professional organisation contact details were provided as clues to complete the crosswords. Congratulations to the winners: Mrs A Meintjies of Port Elizabeth and Ms M Lochner of Tygerberg!

POSTER PROMOTION
BAW posters were distributed to all local clinics via the Department of Health. BAW partners also assisted in promoting the campaign by putting up posters in public areas.

SUMMARY
The Brain Awareness Week campaign has once again been a huge success. The media, a vital partner in any awareness campaign, have given us excellent exposure. Public interest in brain-related issues is evident in the attendance numbers at planned activities. Also, the MHIC Call Centre was unindated with calls during BAW. Thanks to all our BAW partners and affiliates.

Thank you especially to our sponsors, the University of Stellenbosch, Janssen-Cilag, Pfizer, Novartis, Panorama Medi-Clinic, Dept. of Health: Mental Health Programme and DABI / EDAB. Without your financial backing we would not have been able to take part in this year's BAW!