Mullingar Soroptimists promote positive mental health

There was a serious side to the Battle of the Bands night the Mullingar Soroptimists organised in the Mullingar Park Hotel last week.You'll find details of how the performers got on in this week's Westmeath Examiner (page 40).The serious part was about promoting positive mental health and suicide prevention (also details in this week's paper).Guest speaker, Lisa Butler, a PhD student in NUI Maynooth, told her life story, describing how she developed a serious mental illness as a young teenager and spent many years in and out of psychiatric hospitals.Over the years, Lisa explained, she learned how to cope with this illness, how to seek help enabling her to return to education as an adult learner in 2001.Another part of the night was the launch of a Youth Support Card, developed by the Soroptimists in consultation with the HSE. It features an image designed by Niamh Neville of Loreto College on the front and valuable helpline and website details on the back.Conor Quinn and Graham Dowling launched the card with Soroptimists president Sarah McCormack, who said how fitting it was to have both talented young men at the launch.Sarah encouraged everyone to carry their Youth Support Card with them at all times reminding them that there is always someone there for them.A Mental Health Awareness Quiz designed by The Mullingar Mental Health Association and Handyweb was launched on the night and is available at www.aisling.ie (open for two weeks from Wednesday April 11).There are three prizes - a 4S iPhone, an iPad and Beats Studio Headphones. They are co-sponsored with the Soroptimists by Mission Slim Possible contestants Bill Collentine and Mick Gaffney.The Youth Support Card is here: http://westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/04/10/4009946-youth-support-card/