President’s Letter: Living StigmaFree Takes Center Stage at CPNP 2018

By Cindy Kirkwood, CPNP Foundation President

Was that an awesome Annual Meeting or what?

For those of you who were unable to attend the CPNP 2018 this year, I just have to say that the excitement was palpable. The StigmaFree theme generated much discussion around this important topic and broadened the perspective of all attendees. Foundation members greeted familiar faces and welcomed new attendees who stopped by to pick up a sticker and to demonstrate their commitment to being StigmaFree by signing the banner. It was terrific to see so many colorful signatures and witness the numerous selfies!

Highlights of Foundation-supported activities by the numbers include:

• 179 individuals supported the StigmaFree Walk to support NAMI
• 63 people (58 students and 5 pharmacists) completed the 8-hour Mental Health First Aid Training before the meeting
• 52 people participated in the NAMI Walk on Wednesday morning in their StigmaFree t-shirts
• 20 attendees participated in the StigmaFree Me! Discussion Den
• 20 students attended the meeting with the assistance of Foundation supported Student Travel Grants
• 3 Defining the Future Grant recipients presented research posters
• 1 person received the CPNP Foundation Strategic Goals Award

Through the efforts of donors like you, the Foundation made a donation of $2,675 to NAMI and CPNP generously made a matching donation. As you can see, the Foundation is working vigorously to connect patients with caring pharmacy professionals. It is heartening to think that there are now 179 StigmaFree t-shirt-wearing people and 63 Mental Health First Aid trained people spreading the word and starting new conversations on how to make life easier for individuals living with mental illness.

Please join me in our ongoing efforts to make a change in our world by supporting the Foundation with a donation (https://cpnpf.org/pledge). We can make it happen together!