International psychiatrists will join their Hong Kong counterparts as well as social workers, care-takersof patients and senior management from various professional fields to participate at the Hong Kong Mental Health Conference 2017 (the “Conference”) to be held from 3rd to 5th November at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. The Conference, organised by The Patient Care Foundation (the “Foundation”) and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, aims at looking into ways to de-stigmatisemental health and stop discrimination against mental illness patients in different parts of the society, and at the same time promote care for these patients.

Dr. Lucy Lord, Founder of the Foundation and Co-Chair of the Conference, hopes to, through discussions at the Conference, raise the society’s awareness of mental health and gather methods and opinions in breaking the mental illness taboo in Hong Kong. Titled “Mental Health Matters: Overcoming the Stigma”, the Conference includes six streams, namely: Mental Health and Healthcare, Mental Health and the Elderly, Mental Health in the Work Place, Mental Health and Legal System/Policy Making, Mental Health in Educational Settings, and Mental Health and the Media. The first two days of the Conference will focus on cross-sectoral discussions on these six streams, while the third day will be an open forum for the public, with mental health seminars in both Cantonese and English, and a “Mental Health Market Place” where nonprofit organisations set up booths and introduce their services relating to mental health.

Professor Eric Chen, Co-Chair of the Conference and President of The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists, states thatto de-stigmatise and to reduce discrimination, different parties of the community need to work together. He hopes that the Conference will inspire more people in Hong Kong to look at and deal with the mental health issue with a positive attitude, and encourage patients to seek help.

Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Grant Making – Elderly, Rehabilitation, Medical, Environment & Family) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club said the Club has been a staunch supporter of efforts to promote mental well-being in the community. To reduce stigma and encourage people in need to seek timely support, public education and mental health promotion are much needed. The Trust is therefore very pleased to support the Patient Care Foundation in hosting the conference.

The Conference has attracted international scholars and medical experts as well as leading entrepreneurs, including world-renowned speakers such as Prof. Graham Thornicroft from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind UK, and Ashley Alder, CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, etc. Prof. Eric Chen looks forward to learning from other regions’ experiences through the exchange.

Luke Tsang, veteran radio broadcaster and former Director of Programme Development of Chinese Programme Service of Radio Television Hong Kong, had suffered from severe mood disorder since 1992 and was once edged to committingsuicide. At the press conference, he recounts the fear that has haunted himwhen he was ill and the help he had got on the road to recovery. He stresses that mental and psychologicaldisorder is a form of illness, which requires treatment, and patients should not be afraid to talk about it or seek medical care. He appeals to the publicnot tostigmatisemental illness patients who will need support and care from families and friends like patients of any other kind.He also shares how he maintains mental health these days by leading a healthy way of living, and encourages people to take part in the Hong Kong Mental Health Conference 2017, to wipe out discrimination together.

To support and promote further the Hong Kong Mental Health Conference 2017, the Foundation puts theory into practice and initiates the “Miles for Mental Health HK” activity, which encourages participants to keep an exercise log with data such as the number of miles they have walked or run, and upload them onto social media like instagram, twitter, facebook with the hashtag #milesformentalhealthhk, so as to inspire and encourage friends to exercise more for maintaining good physical and mental health. The Hong Kong National Rugby Teams have demonstrated their support: 15 players have accumulated 198 miles of “Mental Health Miles” since 10th October. At the press conference, Hong Kong rugby players James Cunningham and Royce Chan also share tips on how they de-stress in daily life.

Dr. Lucy Lord points out that The Patient Care Foundation was established by a group of expatriate doctors who had been working in Hong Kong for years who were passionate about improving healthcare in Hong Kong. The doctors identified four vulnerable groups of people: refugees, children who require stays in hospital, pregnant mothers-to-be, and individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. From 2014 to 2016, the Foundation worked on educating expecting mothers on rhesus-negative blood, donating time and resources to treating refugees, and advocating for The Charter for Children in Hospital in Hong Kong. When it came to mental health, the task of overcoming stigma is an enormous one. This conference is just the beginning to a long term project for the foundation.