A life-size inflatable elephant is set to help the Buderim Private Hospital break down the stigma of mental illness during Mental Health Week 2019.
With one in five Australians suffering from mental illness each year, mental health is truly Australia’s ‘Elephant in the room’.
Karen Clark, General Manager of the Buderim Private Hospital, said Mental Health Week and the Australian Private Hospital Association’s ‘Elephant in the room’ campaign provides an excellent opportunity to shine the spotlight on mental health.
“With the help of mental health clinicians from our Cooinda Mental Health Service, this year we are focusing our efforts on providing our community with education to help break down the stigma surrounding mental health,” Mrs Clark said.
“Mental health is often misunderstood and these attitudes tend to perpetuate so we are using the elephant to provide education to our Sunshine Coast community,” she said.
“Our hope is that people use this information to feel empowered when having important conversations with friends, family and colleagues about their mental health and these people feel listened to, supported and encouraged to get the help they need.”
The Cooinda Mental Health Service is an $11 million 33-bed facility which the Buderim Private Hospital opened in 2013 to meet the growing need for mental health services on the Sunshine Coast. Cooinda also offers a range of outpatient programs addressing depression, anxiety, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.
As part of UnitingCare, the Buderim Private Hospital is owned by the Uniting Church and the only not-for-profit provider of private hospital services on the Sunshine Coast.