How much difference can one person make? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Today is World Mental Health Day, and I’d like to pay tribute to one woman who has made a difference to hundreds of thousands — perhaps millions — of people who need help, and whose efforts have saved many lives.
I first met Zane Wilson two years ago. She’s warm and charming, speaking with a distinct British accent despite having lived in South Africa for four decades. She divides her time between this country and the US, where her husband is based. Despite having so little time for herself, she always has time for others, as I soon found out: giving me advice on the phone, sending me mails, asking for help with raising awareness of issues and commenting on stories.
She campaigns tirelessly, and I mean that in the literal sense of the word: I have no idea when she gets any sleep and I can’t imagine that she’s had any spare time in 18 years.
It was back in 1994 that she founded the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag). A successful businesswoman, she suffered from panic attacks, but could find no support system. Back then, South Africa was not a sympathetic place for people suffering from mental illness. Since then, attitudes have become much more enlightened, though you only have to read the comments on news stories about suicides to see how far we have to go. Zane still keeps busy fighting the good fight every day, from tackling medical aids over changes to the way they pay for psychotherapy, to complaining about an irresponsible feature on suicide run by a local magazine.
South Africans desperately need the services offered by Sadag. On average, 22 people in this country commit suicide a day and 10 times as many attempt it. Sadag now runs a 16-line counselling and referral call centre, and among the many other services it provides, also assists a network of 180 support groups around the country. As always, the poor are the most vulnerable. Lack of facilities and often unsympathetic nurses means that many, if not most, don’t get the help they need, and Sadag is their only hope. More recently, Sadag has started hosting Facebook chats about mental health issues every Friday. This week, the topic is depression; psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Moch will be online between 1pm and 2pm, clinical psychologist Tony de Gouveia will be the expert for the second one-hour chat at 7pm. You can watch the short film produced to coincide with World Mental Health Day here.
In 2005 Zane created the “Speaking Book”, to enable communities with low levels of literacy to receive healthcare messages in a practical, low-cost format. An innovative learning tool, the Speaking Book also generates most of the funding for Sadag, which also receives sponsorship from various pharmaceutical companies. Sadag receives no funding from government at all, yet fills a vast gap in healthcare services.
It’s reassuring to know that all of this work has not gone unacknowledged. Zane has received many awards for her work including South African Woman of the Year, World Bank Award for Development in Mental Health, PharmaVoice USA as one of the 100 most inspiring people in health, Africom Pepfar Award for creative communications in HIV and Aids, CPSI Public Sector Service and Innovation Award, and the Unesco Award for sustainable innovation. In November last year, Zane was honoured as one of the Top 10 Influential Leaders in Healthcare in South Africa by the South African Institute of Health Care Managers. Earlier this year Zane received the Order of the Baobab for her services to South Africa and its people.
Thank heaven for the Zane Wilsons of this world. We need more of them.
Important numbers:
Suicide Crisis Line 8am-8pm 0800 567 567 SMS 31393
Pharmadynamics Police and Trauma Line 8am-8pm 0800 20 50 26
AstraZeneca Bipolar Line 8am-8pm 0800 70 80 90
Sanofi Aventis Sleep Line 8am-8pm 0800-SLEEPY (0800 753 379)
Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Line 24-hour helpline 0800 12 13 14 SMS 32312
Sadag Mental Health Line 8am-8pm 011 262 6396
This is just crazy talk!
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Someone extremely close to me had a complete breakdown and eventually decided to go the medical route i.e. get evaluated and take prescription medication. This against a huge variety of opinions, from supportive to religious objection. The end results (ongoing) have been mixed, but positive on the whole. The issue seems to be that mental health problems are incredibly hard to accurately diagnose, and trial and error is the only way to ‘fix’ someone. Unfortunately there are virtually no scientific tests to determine cause and resolution, evaluation instead being based on subjective opinion and experience.
Anyways, to cut the BS – give medication a chance i.e. at least 6 months. You cannot expect to pop a pill and suddenly feel fine.
Cheers to anyone pushing this young, vulnerable branch of medicine.
The problem with depression is also the stigma attached. Look at the trauma affecting cops who are too embarrassed to go for counselling. It’s the same for depression; sometimes it’s enough for medication and therapy to have a big benefit but the person suffering does not want to admit to the problem. And doctors are too quick to give a prescription instead of sending the patient for therapy.
You’re right: Thank heaven for the Zane Wilsons of this world. We need more of them.
SADAG provides a critical service but it does not match organisations run and managed by people who ACTUALLY HAVE/LIVE WITH the various mental illnesses themselves in terms of the impact for growth and recovery such organisations have on the lives of their members. BARD in Pretoria is a good example of what I am talking about.
And while I’m on the topic, did you know that the World Network for Users and Survivors of Psychiatric Medicine is holding its global conference in Cape Town next year?
And of course, their links to Pharma is not viewed with approval by all in the sector…
Zane is an inspiration to us all and her tireless efforts to help others in desperate need, deserves to be recognized by the Government in the form of funding.
Cannabis in small doses is amazing for depression and a myriad of other “health” issues. It also has other great uses, incl. clothing etc. etc.
South Africa should lead the way and legalize it. Not only will legalization help the poor but the country as a whole.
Zane Wilson is not only one of the greatest heroines in Africa, but also the hardest-working individual I know. I am grateful beyond words to her as a great and trusted friend.
Her tireless and nonjudgemental support has been a great strength in the face of the enormity of the news media’s hypocrisy around mental health. More than 60% of SA’s editors and 90% of managements are incredibly prejudiced against hiring people with even the slightest history of depression, bipolar, anxiety or PTSD and will not hesitate to fire people who are not “team players” or fail to risk everything by disclosing their mental condition. I know – I have personal experience! A recent survey also showed staggering degrees of stigma, ignorance, prejudice and duplicity in the advertising, banking, cellphone and retail industries.
Until this “legal discrimination” is exposed and stopped, people who suffer from mental illnesses will continue to be the hapless victims of corporate hypocrisy and high-handedness.
Thank you for recognizing one of the most deserving people I know.
I have personally known Zane for over 40 years! I know how hard she works and
What a toll it has taken on her own health. A truly remarkable woman who
Has truly found her passion.