The event, hosted by the NWU Alumni Office and the campus’s Health Care Centre, saw more than a 100 athletes take to the road in support of mental health awareness.
Participants included members of the NWU alumni fraternity, current students and citizens of the broader Vanderbijlpark region. The aim of the event was not only to spread the message of hope and support, but also to educate the public about the impact of mental health on individuals, families and societies.
According to Mapeete Rasoaisi, manager of the campus’s Health Care Centre, the 10 km fun walk symbolised the enabling power of active support networks. She continues to explain that shocking South African statistics of 23 suicides a day (as per the South African Federation for Mental Health) mean little without continued mobilisation, the pro-active disseminating of resources, increased accessibility to treatment, and the normalisation of mental health conversations within society.
By means of the fun run, the NWU in collaboration with the Vanderbijlpark, took the first step in bringing the issue of mental health to the fore.
Asked about the involvement of the university’s alumni fraternity, Zanele Ngobese – alumni coordinator – said that alumni members are proudly paying it forward by showing their support to initiatives such as the fun run.
“Being a student can be very stressful, and more so if the student suffers from a mental illness. As students, our alumni, benefitted from the services and resources offered by the Health Care Centre and as such, they can first-hand attest to the value thereof,” says Zanele. She adds that seeing them take part in this event and being committed towards helping others, bear witness to the university’s ethic of care.
* Statistics released by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group puts it that as many as one in six South Africans suffers from anxiety, depression or substance-use problems – and this does not include more serious conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
More than a 100 athletes took to the road in support of the NWU Vanderbijlpark’s first ever mental awareness fun run.
