The death has taken place in Australia of our founder Fr Con Keogh. Pontifical Concelebrated Mass will be offered in Australia on Wednesday 30th November 2011 at 10.30 a.m. As a mark of respect to Fr Keogh, who died November 24th in Sydney the offices of Grow in Ireland will remain closed on November 30th the day of his funereal. A mass of thanksgiving for a life of service will be celebrated in Marienella 75 Orwell Road Rathgar at 7.30pm on that evening.
GROW began in Sydney, Australia in 1957 when Fr. Con Keogh along with a number of other former mental patients discovered the benefit of mutual help organisations while attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. The group began to meet on their own to work more directly on their problems of rehabilitation after mental breakdown. They resolved that they would try to preserve their experience and record whatever they found successful or helpful for their recovery.
A major campaign aimed at reducing the stigma associated with mental health problems has been launched.
‘See Change’, is being supported by a number of Government departments and related organisations, including the HSE, the Department of Health, the National Office for Suicide Prevention, the Disability Authority, the College of Psychiatry of Ireland, Amnesty International, Bodywhys, Grow and Mental Health Ireland.
Working in partnership, these organisations are hoping to bring about positive change in public attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems.
Speaking at the launch of ‘See Change’, John Moloney, Junior Minister for Disability and Mental Health, said that stigma ‘has no place in Irish society’.
“It damages people’s lives and can be deeply hurtful and isolating and is one of the most significant problems encountered by people with mental health problems. It can also be distressing for the families and friends of those persons,” he explained.
The aim of this campaign is to:
-Reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems and challenge discrimination.
-Create an environment where people are more open and positive in their attitudes and behaviour towards mental health.
-Promote a greater understanding and acceptance of and support for people with mental health problems.
-Empower individual people with experience of mental health problems to gain equality, respect and rights.
The campaign will run for at least two years. It is hoped that by the end of this period, people with mental health problems will find it easier to participate as valued members of society with access to meaningful employment, appropriate housing and positive interpersonal relationships.
“Eliminating the stigma associated with mental ill health will not happen overnight. However the ‘See Change’ campaign has the potential to affect change within Irish society and help lay the necessary foundations for a real and positive transformation of how mental illness is perceived,” Minister Moloney added.