Each of us longs to belong. We need a community, a place that welcomes us and is supportive of our aspirations.

Take my case for example: it has been both challenging and incredibly enriching to work as an immigrant physician in the United States. I was born in Syria, and for more than two decades I have lived and worked in North America. I encountered unwelcoming situations, tempered by warm welcomes from people that graced me with their support.

My "diaspora status" will probably be with me for the rest of my life. Being perceived as an outsider provides me with ample opportunities for self-examination, reflection and continued refinement. I hunger to learn more about myself, about our ever-changing environment, and about the people with whom I interact. I have achieved a state of mind that is best described as "universal belonging." I truly feel at home everywhere despite any hardship I may encounter, and this compels me to share my best. Miles City has become my home away from home, and I treasure the friends I have here.

It is my privilege to provide healthcare for patients with physical and mental ailments, and I take this responsibility very seriously. I am committed to applying my skills to improve healthcare in eastern Montana.

Depression and Suicide do not spare any community, although these illnesses are more pervasive in financially deprived and geographically isolated communities. It is no secret that suicide ravages many frontier regions, including eastern Montana. Global Health Equity Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that I founded in 2007, brings to this region the expertise that is needed to disrupt the cycle of depression and suicide. Partnering with local, regional and international experts and organizations, we will diminish this scourge.

The National Guard set an excellent example with a program that succeeded in decreasing the rate of suicide among returning veterans. Solutions like this can be adapted to combat depression and suicide in eastern Montana and in other regions.

Partnering together, we can excel. "Together" is the operative word. We need your help. The Community Based Media Project encompasses a wide range of activities. Many members of the local community are finding inspiration within this project. It provides both the impetus and the organizational structure needed to make a real difference. We thank everyone contributing their time and their expertise, and we ask you to invite others to join our efforts. This project succeeds when community backing is strong.

Lise Swenson, a brilliant filmmaker and a dear friend of mine, is moving to Miles City to mentor the Community Based Media Project. Please welcome her and support her in building a successful program in Miles City.

For more information see: http://ghef.org/news.html#septpressrelease

All the best,

Tayeb Al-Hafez, MD, FACP
Global Health Equity Foundation
Founder and President

Greetings all,

Welcome to the last Community Based Media Project (CBMP) newsletter of the year. And what a year it's been. Since this project began in March, 2011 we have met and consulted with dozens of people throughout eastern Montana, held two community meetings, raised initial funds, have three grants pending with many more going out in the near future, set up offices on Main Street in Miles City, have had four articles written about what we are doing, and much more.

In 2012 CBMP will come alive! Keep in mind that our suicide prevention project is about and aimed at youth. It is our current goal to produce a short video, the form of which will be decided by the community members who self-select to work on it. This short video will be accompanied by a resource website, a social media campaign and a printed resource guide. Some other parts of the project include the fabrication of a Memorial Tree that is being designed and built in 2012. We are also working with local artist Jeremy Smith, who will design and offer art-making workshops for youth. The workshops look at the problem of depression and suicide from their perspective. It has also been proposed that Jeremy and I collaborate on an audio/video installation that would be installed in Miles City the first week in March, in time for the one year anniversary of Global Health Equity Foundation's Consensus Building Forum which will focus on mental health.

Here are the highlights from the Walk for Suicide Prevention, September 11, 2011. It was a heartwarming and successful event. Thank you, Carla Bichler and Ione Kirk for coordinating this wonderful event.

For a PDF of the full minutes click here

Attending:
Scott Rapson, Lise Swenson, Heather Schmidt, Carla Bichler, Molly Wendland, Dr. Tayeb Al-Hafez, Linda, Jeremy Smith, Charlie Denison, Ione Kirk, Dorothy Zabrocki, Deb Kirkwood

Summary:

• Move ahead, be proactive, with involving the native communities. Lise, Linda and Molly are coordinating.
• We identified 15 Eastern Montana organizations to follow up with for endorsements and possible support.
• We identified 13 Eastern Montana businesses and individuals to follow up with for endorsements and possible support.
• General Notes highlights:
• Target audience: depressed and/or suicidal persons, and the people that are close to them
• The group concurred that the target audience for this film will be youth aged 12-18
• The group also concurred that the film we make must appeal to this target age group
• Address the barriers and issues surrounding our topic here in Miles City and broadly in Eastern MT. If the film can identify the barriers and areas that lack support we can create momentum to address these issues and lack of support, (see Scott's example of lack of beds and lack of transportation). It's not only emotional and physiological support that these teens need; they also need the physical infrastructure to be in place when they ask for help.

Everyone here at the GHEF office would like to take this time to thank all of you who donated to the Community Based Media Project. Your compassion and thoughtfulness is what makes this project possible. As 2011 comes to a close, we look back on the great efforts shown by our local communities to face the heavy subject of suicide and depression. Your strength and determination is what gives us hope and will drive us forward in the new year. Thank you.