The Congregation of the Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart presents a new campaign in the framework of World Mental Health Day on October 10, an event that seeks to raise awareness of the reality that one in four people face a mental health problem at some point in their lives.
Under the slogan “Their struggle is also ours”, the Sisters Hospitallers’ campaign shows different stories of overcoming these issues through love, professional care and hospitality, backed by 143 years of experience in hospital services.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health “is a fundamental part of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world in which we live”. That is why WHO emphasizes “the protection and promotion of human rights, the empowerment of people experiencing mental health conditions, and the development of a multi-sectoral approach involving diverse stakeholders.”[1]
“As Hospitaller Sisters, guided by the mission that summons us, we want to commit ourselves, for another year, to be agents of change, offering a space of welcome and care for all those who face challenges in their mental wellbeing. Mental health is a right and a priority that we must defend together”, said Sister Idilia Carneiro, Superior General of the congregation.
https://youtu.be/XQed55QFKkE
A shared struggle
The campaign, shared through a video on the social networks of Sisters Hospitallers International, makes visible eight living testimonies that a good future is possible for people with mental health problems. A more or less “normal” life is possible if patients and their families are accompanied by professional help and the human ability to overcome challenges.
These stories are of great inspiration to the Congregation of Sisters Hospitallers and a reminder that no one should face mental health alone. Hence, the importance of raising awareness about mental illness and the need to continue working to eliminate the stigma associated with it.
In more than 85 health care centers in 25 countries around the world, with around 900 Sisters, 12,000 collaborators and numerous volunteers, the Hospitaller Sisters are dedicated to welcoming, comprehensive assistance, care and rehabilitation. Their mission specializes in people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and other illnesses, with a preference for the most vulnerable and needy.
About the Congregation of the Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Congregation of the Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a female Catholic institution that works in the reception, assistance and care of people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and other diseases, with preference for the most needy. Its mission is to evangelize the world of health, through the promotion of health, social and educational works, giving the highest priority to its commitment to society. Sisters Hospitallers was founded in Madrid (Spain) in 1881 by Saint Benito Menni, a priest of the Order of Saint John of God, together with María Josefa Recio and María Angustias Giménez, chosen by God to respond to the situation of health neglect and social exclusion of women with mental illness at the time, combining two fundamental criteria: charity and science. More information: https://www.hospitalarias.org
[1] World Health Organization (2022): “Mental health: strengthening our response” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
