Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13605

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Lilly honours mental health charity workers
PMLive.com 2008 May 2
http://www.pmlive.com/index.cfm?showArticle=1&ArticleID=6688

Full text:

Eli Lilly & Co has honoured six people working to improve the quality of life for people suffering from depression at the 10th Annual Welcome Back Awards.

During a ceremony which took place in Washington DC, Lilly presented a new award to mark a decade of promoting and supporting activists working with mental health patients. Rory White, founding manager of the Skid Row Lamp Art Project in Los Angeles, was named Person of the Decade.

White said: “Bringing validation to programmes like mine, the Welcome Back Awards has helped create a legacy that will work to banish the stigma of mental illness for years to come.”

The Welcome Back Awards were created by Lilly in 1998. Honourees working within fields such as psychiatry, primary care and community service are selected by an independent panel of US mental health experts.

“Each of the winners is a pioneer, bringing depression awareness to their individual communities and the country at large,” said Dr Rakesh Jain, Welcome Back Awards committee member and director of psychiatric drug research at R/D Clinical Research Centre in Lake Jackson, Texas.

The company donates between $10,000 and $15,000 to a not-for-profit organisation of each winner’s choice. In the decade it has been in operation, Lilly has used the Awards to give away almost $500,000.

Dr John Hayes, vice-president of Lilly Research Laboratories and global brand development team leader of neuroscience for Lilly, said: “It is important for Lilly to recognise these unique voices in the depression community as a way to inspire them to continue their good work and promote recovery.”