MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 30, 2012
LONDON, Ontario – The Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP) at the London Health Sciences Centre opens its 6th biennial Creative Minds exhibition at The ARTS Project tonight, showcasing artwork created by clients, their family members and PEPP staff.
PEPP is an internationally renowned program dedicated to providing treatment and advocacy for young adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Its team of clinicians and research staff work together with individuals and their families to help clients resume functioning and achieve personal recovery goals. Psychosis affects one per cent of young people, often at the time in life that individuals are working towards their educational and personal goals.
“PEPP helps clients shift from remission of symptoms to recovery. Medications can reduce symptoms, but recovery and the resumption of fulfilling day-to-day activities are most important to our clients,” says PEPP psychiatrist Dr. Julie Richard. “For many of our clients, creative expression is a powerful means for recovery – it can impact hopes, feelings and goals clients have for themselves.”
This year’s exhibition will include art from several genres including watercolour, canvas, installation art as well as photography and poetry. Pieces in the show are chosen through a juried submission process. On November 1, there will also be a performance night for clients, allowing participants to share their talents in the areas of spoken poetry, singing and instrumental music.
“Our team works hard planning for this exhibition, often donating their own personal time, because we are all aware of how important it is for the clients and family members to have the opportunity to share their talents with the community. It is vital to focus on achievement and accomplishment, and we’re thrilled that each year, this show continues to grow,” says Richard.
The Creative Minds exhibition will continue until November 10 at The ARTS Project, located at 203 Dundas St. and will feature a wishing well in which participants and visitors can place stones inscribed with their thoughts on mental health. The collected stones will become a permanent fixture in the PEPP program area at LHSC following the show.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 137 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca
- 30 -
For media inquiries contact:
Kathy Leblanc
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 74772
kathy.leblanc@lhsc.on.ca
After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call
Visit the LHSC Media web site at www.lhsc.on.ca/media
Like us on Facebook at LHSC Canada, follow us on Twitter @LHSCCanada and watch us on YouTube at LHSCCanada.
