WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23,2017 N E W S T R A I T S T I M E S HIGHER ED

CAMPAIGN

S U N U ~ 19; 33

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Tan Jia Min (left) witti Dr Elizabetti Lee, Department of Communication and Liberal Arts head Dr Chan Nee Nee, Professor Harold Thwaites and lecturers at the launch of the Lose The Blues Campaign in April.

(Above & below) Participants taking part in a painting session.

T AN J i a Min finds that many of her peers do not exactly know what de­pression is. With depression being a difficult topic to talk about, those

it feel uncomfortable or unsafe to who face speak out.

In realising this, Tan with 32 other Sunway University students from the Public Relations and Corporate Communication special isat ions of the Department of Communication and L ib­eral Arts organised a three-month campaign called "Lose the B l ue s " at their campus. Its ob­jective is to create awarenes s for depression as wel l as enhance the knowledge about preven­tion and solutions for depression.

Tan, who is in the second year of her degree in Communication and also the campaign d i rec­tor, said: "B ig scale campaigns like Lose The B lues ' can generate awarenes s among the gen­era l public but to help those who are struggling, personal interaction is the best way to support them."

Various activities took place during the c a m ­paign, including ta lks by field experts to ra ise the level of awarenes s about depression.

Among them are Dr Chua Sook Ning from Relate Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Atvin Ng Lai Don of the Department of Psychology, Sunway University and Sunway College a lumna Mirosha Somasundram.

The closing ceremony was attended by Se -langor State Assembly speaker and member Hannah Yeoh, Sunway Education Group and Sunway University senior executive director Dr Elizabeth Lee, Sunway University v i ce -chance l ­lor Professor Graeme Wilkinson, Sunway Uni -

Lose the Blues raises awareness tor depression versity School of Arts dean Professor Harold Thwaites, students and staff.

At the closing ceremony of the campaign. Tan said: "The re are concerns that depres­sion w i l l be the wor ld ' s number one disability by 2020. Depression is quiet and overcoming. It is not a monster that we can fight against once and for a l l .

"One in four people suffer from depression which that could be the person next to you. I would l ike to urge everyone, as a commu­nity, as people capable of impact — to a lways choose to be kind in our words and deeds.

" P l ea se choose to stop for someone in the midst of your rushing around, and be the ones who find value.in being rich in kindness, care and giving towards others. Let us spur one a n ­other on towards love and good deeds — learn to be sympathetic, compass ionate and hum­ble," she continued.

According to J i a Min, one question posed in one of the activities was : "What helped you e s ­cape the blues? " . The majority of the an swe r s

"A supportive community is

as important for the well-being of those who are going through a tough time."

TAN JIA MIN Lose the Blues campaign director

pinpointed community as the solution. "A supportive community is as important for

the wel l -being of those who are going through a tough time. There is a need to provide a more accommodating environment to those facing this kind of hardship and to ass i s t in expand­ing the Sunway community ' s menta l horizon to overcome depression.

Tan also shared her exper ience leading the campaign. She found her role for the campaign challenging as she had to juggle the campaign, four other subjects, work and personal com­mitments. She discovered her last s emes te r definitely expanded her physical and menta l capacity of handling responsibi l it ies and s t res s .

" Pa r t of directing the campaign involved speaking to people, which is a chal lenge for an introvert like me. I wa s grateful for the oppor­tunity to step out of my comfort zone and build relationships. Building my leadership style and sk i l l s by working with the team, I learnt to trust and empower my team to carry out the respon­sibil it ies ass igned to them," she said.

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