Join us for Global Day of Hope by planting sunflowers on Saturday May 2 in support of the 350 million people living with the treatable disease of depression. The sunflower is the international symbol of hope for depression and Global Day for Hope seeks to amplify our mission to shine a positive light on depression and eliminate the stigma associated with the disease through prevention, research and education.
Plantings will take place all over the world, including Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Colorado, South America, Nepal, Germany and more! People from all corners of the globe are invited to join the movement by planting sunflowers in their own communities and uniting on social media in an empowering, international symbol of hope.
“People don’t talk about depression and we must change that,” iFred Founder Kathryn Goetzke said. “Depression is treatable and yet because of the stigma associated with it, less than 25 percent of people with diagnosable depression receive treatment. We need to turn the conversation to provide solutions and hope for children and adults who silently suffer from the disease.”
According to a report by the World Health Organization, suicide is a preventable mental health disorder that is treatable. And yet, because it is not significantly addressed, we lose over 800,000 lives annually, it is the second leading cause of death globally for youth ages 15-29, and is estimated to cost the United States alone over 100 billion dollars every year.
“Like so many other treatable medical conditions, support from family, friends and community can make all the difference to an individual fighting for a healthy life,” said Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, psychologist & physical therapist and author of Better than Perfect: 7 Strategies to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love. “We can all play a significant role in guiding our friends and loved ones to find and maintain hope by helping to address stress effectively, showing kindness and gratitude to one another and by stopping the unending search for perfection. Hope is a teachable skill and we all have the power to help someone close to us find purpose and positivity in life.”
The Global Day for Hope will be celebrated worldwide with sunflower plantings in communities, homes, public spaces and parks and there are many ways to participate:
- Plant Sunflowers: Plant one, plant a garden, get friends and community involved and celebrate HOPE together.
- Wear Yellow: Yellow is the color of the joy and happiness we feel when depression is successfully treated.
- Share, Share, Share: Post, tweet, or share a photo on social media. Shine your light on hope and use the hashtags #HOPE2015 and #PLANTHOPE and be sure to tag us @ifredorg.
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