Page 6 - 2023年10月號

Mental health and your club
D ear fellow Rotary members, endowment. Investment income from this endow-

ment will support a fellow — a psychologist or
The World Health Organization desig-
nates 10 October as World Mental Health
psychiatrist — at Children’s Hospital. A new fellow
Day, and with Rotary placing a special
spring of 2024. Over time this will create a cohort
focus on mental health this year, I would will be named every one to two years, beginning
like to help answer the question posed to me most to bolster the mental health workforce, treating kids
often when I travel to meet members: How can my from all 64 Colorado counties and neighboring states.
club get started? There are many more great mental health project
There are some wonderful examples of Rotary stories on Rotary Showcase, and I invite you to share
members taking action already. In the Philippines, the your experiences as you begin your own projects.
Rotary Club of Tiaong-Hiyas held a 12-week health Also, please reach out to mindhealth@rotary.org
challenge for mothers in the community to promote with any thoughts or ideas you would like to share
some baseline health screenings and coaching on a about mental health in the Rotary world.
healthier lifestyle. On 10 October, I will host a Facebook Live event
By the end of the challenge, the mothers had a spe- when we will recognize World Mental Health Day and
cial bond and decided to form a Rotary Community further explore how Rotary members can begin this
Corps called Ilaw ng Tahanan (“one who lights up the journey. But I would like to leave you with one way
home”) with the goal of involving more mothers in every Rotary member can make a difference.
health education and wellness support — and later Right now, there is someone you know in the
youth services, teen pregnancy prevention, and help Rotary world — in your club, from a project you’ve
with unhealthy substance use. Almost a year later, the worked on, in a Rotary Fellowship or Rotary Action
RCC is preparing to open its own health center where Group — who could use a little more of your time and
mothers can come for peer-to-peer support. attention. Rotary is this great gift of global friendship,
Another strong example is in Colorado. In the and that also means being there for each other.
fall of 2021, a small group of stakeholders from the Discovering the human connections that bind us
Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch formed the Rotary is what we do through our membership every day. It’s
Clubs of Colorado Endowed Fellowship for Pediatric what Rotary has always been about, and we can build
on it by helping each other find peace at home.
Mental Health, which enhances the ability of Chil-
PHOTOGRAPH: KEVIN SERNA psychiatry providers and allows the hospital network you?” but also “How are you really?” By doing so,
dren’s Hospital Colorado to recruit and train pediatric
We need to learn how to ask not just “How are
Rotary can continue to Create Hope in the World.
to make additional appointments. This increases ac-
cess to mental health care for children and decreases
provider shortages.
R. GORDON R. MCINALLY
Since then, the project has brought on new sup-

4 porters and is now fully funded with a $500,000 President, Rotary International
ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2023.10