Over 100 participants gathered at North Grand Mall on Saturday for the Central Iowa National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk, an event aimed at raising awareness and funds for mental health services.
NAMIWalks, organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), seeks to promote mental health awareness and provide resources for those struggling with mental illness. The initiative’s goal is to achieve “mental health for all,” and anyone can join the walks, whether for personal reasons or in support of a loved one.
Joshua Ginn, who found a support group through NAMI, joined the walk with friends to advocate for mental health awareness and combat stigma.
“People need inclusion and support, and we’re here to support one another,” Ginn said. “Those who suffer from mental illness can still be strong, feel deeply, and contribute greatly to society. It’s important for people to care about one another to bring value to life.”
In addition to participants, many volunteers contributed to the event’s success. Among them were members of NAMI On Campus, a student organization at Iowa State University dedicated to addressing mental health issues among students and educating the community about mental well-being.
Ashlee Danner, vice president of NAMI On Campus and a junior studying English, emphasized the importance of accessing NAMI’s resources as a first step toward seeking help.
“Many students hide their mental health struggles because they think it’s normal,” Danner said. “The first step is recognizing that it’s okay not to be okay and seeking counseling or therapy. Groups like NAMI are there to help.”
Also present at the event was Laura Camerona, the founder of Words Worth Repeating, a service that creates custom children’s books focused on difficult topics such as mental health, grief, and family issues. Camerona highlighted that mental health should be viewed the same as physical health, with daily habits playing a crucial role in maintaining both.
“Mental health is often misunderstood as an illness, but it’s really no different from taking care of your physical health,” Camerona said. “There are small things we can do every day to help our mental well-being, just like we do for our bodies.”
Camerona also stressed the importance of breaking the stigma around mental health by being open about it, both online and in person, and teaching children early on that discussing mental health is just as normal as any other topic.
“We can end the stigma by being authentic and open on social media and in real life, and by starting with kids, teaching them about mental health the same way we teach them about other important topics,” Camerona said. “This will help them feel comfortable talking about it as adults.”
Related topics:
- Mucinex and Pregnancy: A Viral Theory
- Tenth Death Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Boar’s Head Deli Meat Plant
- Startup Aims to Help Users Sleep with Innovative EEG Headband
