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Mental health campaigner, Val Rowe is jumping
for joy with NSW Health Minister, Reba Meagher's
announcement of an 8.9 million dollar 20-bed mental
health unit be built in Griffith.
Val
has been fighting for the past four years for
funding for a facility in Griffith, meeting ministers
at night, making phone calls in the morning and
is ecstatic that there will soon be a unit here
in Griffith.
"It's
been a long hard trek and the hardest thing for
people to admit is that they have a mental problem.
They just don't want to talk about it," said
Val.
Val
and her team of supporters were determined to
provoke action from the NSW Minister of Health
and although the Bricks for Life was raising money
for its own facility, Val says this money will
be spent on furnishings and equipment for the
unit.
Sandra
Annetts suffers from depression and says that
a unit is desperately needed here. It took Sandra
7 years to speak to anyone about her problems.
Shirley
Astill, who also suffers from depression could
not be happier with the news. She says that so
many people have to travel to receive treatment
and not having your family and friends to support
you can be very lonely and can make you feel worse.
"Without
my family and friends I wouldn't have made it.
It will be great for Griffith to have its own
facility," said Shirley.
Val
agrees and says it will be a relief for many families
in the area. Val believes having a mental health
unit in Griffith will strengthen non profit organisations
such as Griffith Suicide Awareness and will educate
and up-date local GP's on mental health problems,
referral and treatment.
The
unit is expected to built in 2009.
Story
by GO Real Estate Magazine, February 22 2008.
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