The Kim Foundation Blog features insights, news and resources on mental health and suicide prevention. Check back often to stay updated and informed.
Here at The Kim Foundation we are blessed with very thankful hearts this Thanksgiving. We are thankful for the incredibly strong individuals and families who reach out to us and share their stories of triumph and struggles; the numerous community partners that have made Don’t Be Sidelined and our other awareness efforts so successful…
According to Medical News Today, in a recent study by Zoltan Rhimer of Semmelweis University in Budapest, the month a person is born could influence
I came across a feature story on 60 Minutes that I found incredibly pertinent to our mission of eliminating the stigma around mental health. CBS Reporter Scott Pelley researched the topic for nine months and spoke with dozens of families across the country.
Scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago recruited 16 healthy adults between the ages of 21 to 40 to be part of a memory experiment. Using magnetic pulses called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers sought out to improve memory functions of the brain without using drugs or invasive surgery. If successful, this new approach has potential for treating mental disorders such as schizophrenia in which these brain regions and the hippocampus are out of sync with each other, affecting memory and cognition.
The Kim Foundation was first founded in 2001, nearly 13 years ago. Thirteen years seems like a long time, but there are still so many who are unsure of what we do or have never heard of the foundation. I’ve only been here for three of those 13 years, but I can no longer keep track of the number of times I’ve heard, “Kim, like the girl’s name?” Or, “Why was the foundation started? Why is mental health important to the family?”
While Hollywood is mourning the loss of another star, we are given a sad reminder of why it’s so essential for police to continue their CIT training, and we must continue educating people on why requesting a CIT trained officer to respond in a mental health crisis is so important.
Countless people who had been touched by mental illness or suicide came together to start a conversation last week. In partnership Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater and The Kim Foundation hosted a special screening of Mariel Hemingway’s documentary Running From Crazy. The candid documentary takes viewers into the private family life of the world famous Hemingway clan. A family ravished by mental illness, substance abuse and suicide, Mariel walks the audience through her personal journey to recovery and wellness.
On Thursday, September 25th, a high school altercation turned deadly. Council Bluffs’ teens, Dakota Escritt, 17, and Gregary Teer, 16, had an intense exchange of words followed by pushing and a single punch. Escritt was taken to Children’s Hospital in critical condition after the punch knocked him to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the tile floor. The teen died on Saturday as a result of his injuries.
Bullying today does not look the same as it did 20 years ago. Bullies are not always the stereotypical outcasts or the biggest kid in the class, but are now often the “popular kids” with sidekicks. It has gradually evolved from physical intimidation, in to rumors, blackmail, gossip, cyber-bullying, and exclusion. Bullying no longer happens only at recess or on the walk home from school, but can happen via text message, online, Instant Messenger, and other social media. In this hyper connected technological world, there’s no way to avoid the possibility of becoming a victim of bullying.
Last month I focused much of what I wrote on suicide prevention. Little did I know that it was simply a foreshadow to such excellent work to come! I don’t know of a September when so much effort was dedicated to suicide prevention – building awareness, raising funds, and media attention. Certainly it is always a focus, but this year seemed to have so much more attention toward it and for whatever the reason, we at the foundation are grateful!
Thank you for supporting the work of The Kim Foundation. You are a vital part of helping us further our mission and promote our belief that with help comes hope and healing.
