Schizophrenia.com - Site Update

Sorry for the delay in the newsletter, we've been very busy upgrading the schizophrenia.com web site (please check out the new design and all the new information we've added - at www.schizophrenia.com ).

New Brain Imaging and Pictures of Schizophrenia

Perhaps the most interesting new information on the web site are the stories and pictures showing the progression of the disease. Please see these at the following link - scroll down to see all the brain images using new neuroimaging computers:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/research/schiz.brain.htm

We've also greatly updated the server and software that our discussion and chat software resides on - so if you've every been on the discussions and found them rather slow or difficult to get onto - please try again; we think you'll like the new and faster experience!

We've also added new country-specific discussion areas for the following countries. These are designed to help people from these countries share their experiences and discuss the unique challenges that may be relevant to individuals and families suffering from schizophrenia. Please join in - and post a message to get things going. Countries represented include:

Visit the Country-specific discussion areas at:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/International/internationalsupport.htm

Letters to the Editor

Doctors without Borders Needs Public Education Resources on Schizophrenia and Mental Illnesses (in general)

Dear Schizophrenia.com,

I'm working for Medecin Sans Frontiers, a Belgian NGO, in a mental
health project in Armenia where I'm responsible for the information,
education and communication of the project.

My main task is to "change the mentality" of the public towards mental health. Most family members of people with mental retardation or a mental illness are ashamed and hide their ill family members from the outside world. Some mentally ill people didn't see daylight for several years, some of them are living for more than ten years in stables before we see them.

Do you have any idea about other projects in 'developing countries' or former USSR-states, who have tried to work on the mentality of the general public towards mental illness?

Do you know about other organisations who could help me to get an idea about what I can do to 'promote' understanding of mental illness towards people who are not really interested in mental health? I'm looking forward to your answer.

Luk Van Baelen
MSF-IEC-Sevan-Armenia
Email: lukvanbaelen@hotmail.com

Medecin Sans Frantiers http://www.msf.org/

Luk - I'm sorry I can't help you directly - but I'm sure my subscribers have experience with this. I encourage any of our readers who have information that might be of value to you to email you directly and get you the information. It sounds like a very valuable project!

Writer Seeks Personal Stories of Children of Parents with Schizophrenia
Virginia Holman, author of Rescuing Patty Hearst:: Memories From a
Decade Gone Mad, who was honored with a Literary Award at NAMI's 2003
national convention, is seeking candidates to interview who are the
children of parents with schizophrenia, Individuals selected will be
profiled in an article about the experiences of children growing up with
a parent with schizophrenia. Candidates need to meet three requirements:

1. The parent must have a formal diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Documentation is required.
2. As a child or adolescent, the interviewee must have resided with the
parent at least five years following diagnosis. Documentation also may
be required.
3. Candidates must not have told their story previously either through
public-speaking or any other media venue.

Interested candidates should contact Holman directly at holmanedits@mindspring.com