South African Bipolar Site
The history of the Western Cape Bipolar Association
On 26 October 1996 Dr Francois Daubenton the Principal Psychiatrist at Valkenberg Hospital was interviewed on SA FM's Healthline about Bipolar Affective Disorder. Listeners were asked to phone in with any questions they had about this disruptive illness. I had just gone through my third and worst Manic episode and was starting on the slow road to recovery. I phoned in and asked desperately if there were any support groups in the Western Cape. I was told that there were not, but that if I was interested in starting one I should contact a Psychologist Stuart Horn who felt there was a need for a Bipolar Support Group. He also recommended that I call Jeanine van Kradenberg at the University of Stellenbosch Mental Health Information Centre. I called both of them and we met several times to discuss how to run a support group and what its aims should be. Jeanine had the names of several Bipolar sufferers who had contacted her Centre in search of a support group. She contacted them and gave them my phone number. Stuart also informed patients of his about the new group. The Western Cape Bipolar Association held its first meeting on 26 November 1996 and over 30 people attended. Since then regular meetings were held at 19h45 on the third Tuesday of every month at the Mowbray Presbyterian Church. ( note: The meetings are now held at Crescent Clinic Kenilworth) Over 100 Bipolar sufferers, their friends and family have attended the support group meetings and the core of regular members has grown. The turn out to meetings is good with between 20 and 40 people at most meetings. On 18 March 1997 Dr Francois Daubenton gave a very informative informal talk on Genetics and Bipolar Disorder. The talk was much appreciated by the audience of over 50 members who attended. Apart from the monthly support group meetings the group is involved in other aspects of Mental Health. Ingrid Gaertner, who was a leader of a support Group called This Ability, contacted me after the radio talk show. She introduced me to the world of Mental Illness and the Health Care system. Without her moral support, her friendship and her active involvement in the Tuesday meetings I would never have coped with establishing the group. Ingrid also very kindly and successfully ran the support group meetings for the two months I was overseas. Together, at the invitation of Sister Frances Hulzer, we gave a talk at Hermanus to a group of people suffering from Mental Illness as well as virtually the entire nursing staff of the Overberg region. We were also invited to speak to all the Nursing staff at Stikland hospital and were warmly received by them. Dr Greg McCarthy from the Western Cape Mental Health Department contacted me and together with Hasina Subedar made it clear that the Department saw support groups as playing a key roll in the new health care system. At Greg's recommendation we contacted other support groups and met with them several times. Proposed policy documents were given us for review and comment and open and frank discussions about the future of the Healthcare system were held. Representatives from the following other groups: This Ability, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Attack & Social Phobia and Reach Out are also involved in these meetings. In June 1997 I attended the Second International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in Pittsburgh USA. I have written a separate article on the conference and its effect on me for those who are interested. I also wish to thank Cassie Carstens, my Internet service provider Jaywalk Interactive, who as a complete stranger to me offered to sponsor the Web Site I created for the Association. I hope to expand this Website with Articles and poems written by group members, so feel free to contact me about this. Another special person I would like to thank for all the assistance she gave doing the background work at the meetings is Judy. She was always there offering help, ensuring that we have refreshments for after the meetings, greeting newcomers at the door and making them feel welcome.
I hope that the group will continue to provide support for bipolar's and their friends and family. Dave
On 26 October 1996 Dr Francois Daubenton the Principal Psychiatrist at Valkenberg Hospital was interviewed on SA FM's Healthline about Bipolar Affective Disorder. Listeners were asked to phone in with any questions they had about this disruptive illness. I had just gone through my third and worst Manic episode and was starting on the slow road to recovery. I phoned in and asked desperately if there were any support groups in the Western Cape. I was told that there were not, but that if I was interested in starting one I should contact a Psychologist Stuart Horn who felt there was a need for a Bipolar Support Group. He also recommended that I call Jeanine van Kradenberg at the University of Stellenbosch Mental Health Information Centre. I called both of them and we met several times to discuss how to run a support group and what its aims should be. Jeanine had the names of several Bipolar sufferers who had contacted her Centre in search of a support group. She contacted them and gave them my phone number. Stuart also informed patients of his about the new group. The Western Cape Bipolar Association held its first meeting on 26 November 1996 and over 30 people attended. Since then regular meetings were held at 19h45 on the third Tuesday of every month at the Mowbray Presbyterian Church. ( note: The meetings are now held at Crescent Clinic Kenilworth) Over 100 Bipolar sufferers, their friends and family have attended the support group meetings and the core of regular members has grown. The turn out to meetings is good with between 20 and 40 people at most meetings. On 18 March 1997 Dr Francois Daubenton gave a very informative informal talk on Genetics and Bipolar Disorder. The talk was much appreciated by the audience of over 50 members who attended. Apart from the monthly support group meetings the group is involved in other aspects of Mental Health. Ingrid Gaertner, who was a leader of a support Group called This Ability, contacted me after the radio talk show. She introduced me to the world of Mental Illness and the Health Care system. Without her moral support, her friendship and her active involvement in the Tuesday meetings I would never have coped with establishing the group. Ingrid also very kindly and successfully ran the support group meetings for the two months I was overseas. Together, at the invitation of Sister Frances Hulzer, we gave a talk at Hermanus to a group of people suffering from Mental Illness as well as virtually the entire nursing staff of the Overberg region. We were also invited to speak to all the Nursing staff at Stikland hospital and were warmly received by them. Dr Greg McCarthy from the Western Cape Mental Health Department contacted me and together with Hasina Subedar made it clear that the Department saw support groups as playing a key roll in the new health care system. At Greg's recommendation we contacted other support groups and met with them several times. Proposed policy documents were given us for review and comment and open and frank discussions about the future of the Healthcare system were held. Representatives from the following other groups: This Ability, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Attack & Social Phobia and Reach Out are also involved in these meetings. In June 1997 I attended the Second International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in Pittsburgh USA. I have written a separate article on the conference and its effect on me for those who are interested. I also wish to thank Cassie Carstens, my Internet service provider Jaywalk Interactive, who as a complete stranger to me offered to sponsor the Web Site I created for the Association. I hope to expand this Website with Articles and poems written by group members, so feel free to contact me about this. Another special person I would like to thank for all the assistance she gave doing the background work at the meetings is Judy. She was always there offering help, ensuring that we have refreshments for after the meetings, greeting newcomers at the door and making them feel welcome.
I hope that the group will continue to provide support for bipolar's and their friends and family. Dave