Stars chip in for charity golf fundraiser
Cork hurling star, Jerry O’Connor, Munster rugby hooker, Frankie Sheahan, and Kerry football defender, Tomás Ó Sé, are among the stars taking part in the National Suicide Research Foundation’s (NSRF) golf classic at the Lee Valley Golf and Country Club in Cork.
Money raised will help the NSRF implement their intervention study, which aims to increase awareness of depression and suicidal behaviour.
Based on a similar project which reduced suicide in Germany, the NSRF launched its study in Cork and Kerry in 2005.
Funding for the first two years was provided by the EU, the Health Research Board and the Irish College of General Practitioners.
But now it is only partly-funded by the EU.
The study aims to improve knowledge and attitudes towards depression and suicidal behaviour.
Four key groups are involved — general practitioners, support groups, community facilitators and the general public.
General practitioners are invited to participate in specialist workshops focusing on working with depressed and suicidal patients.
The project provides support to acute groups, such as deliberate self-harm patients and also provides support for self-help groups.
Community facilitators, such as social workers, priests, gardaí, teachers and journalists, will be informed about depression and suicidal behaviour and offered educational workshops.
And the general public is addressed through an awareness campaign by posters, information leaflets, and public events.
“The need for increased awareness of depression and suicidal behaviour is underlined by the high degree of under-diagnosis and under-treatment of depression,” a NSRF spokesperson said.
“The reasons for this are varied, such as lack of knowledge concerning diagnosis and treatment of depression, underestimation of the severity of the disorder, and public attitude or stigma around depression and suicide, for example the belief that ‘depression is due to personal failure’.”
Money raised tomorrow will help NSRF expand the project to work with these key groups. The work will be evaluated over two years.
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