Stepping over the barriers

By Sarah Schwager
THE MIDDWAY Alliance Walk and Festival was a big success, with about 1500 people heading to Dandenong Park last week.
The annual event, organised by the Eastern Region Mental Health Association (ERMHA), aims to promote an understanding of mental illness and break down some of the associated barriers.
ERMHA chief executive officer Peter Waters said the support for the event had been “brilliant” and attendance was up on last year.
“The feedback’s been great,” Mr Waters said.
City of Greater Dandenong mayor Maria Sampey, who spoke at the event, said it had was great to see response people had to the message of the event.
“We need to make the community aware of mental health problems,” Cr Sampey said.
She said the fact that one in five people experienced mental health problems sometime in their life meant that it was important to break the stigmatism associated with mental health.
She said the walk was a good way of changing some of the attitudes that existed.
Other speakers at the event included state Parliamentary Secretary for Health Daniel Andrews, National RSL president Major Bill Crews, Victorian Shadow Minister for Health David Davis, and Kath and Kim star Peter Rowsthorn.