FUNDRAISING

UBC HOSPITAL STUDY - INCREASING THE UNDERSTANDING OF ADOLESCENT VULNERABILITIES TO DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE

UBC Hospital (with funding from the Kelty Dennehy Foundation to the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation) has undertaken a 12-year study to understand what makes children from certain families more vulnerable to mood disorders, adolescent depression and suicide, and to identify early warning signs of this predisposition. 

The study's three principal investigators, Dr. Allan Young, Dr. Adele Diamond, and Dr. E. Jane Garland, are all experts in their own areas and will work together on this unique study. 

Study subjects needed: 
Mothers with diagnosed Bipolar I disorder and their children, aged 6-10, are invited to participate in a research study that looks at mental flexibility, memory, self-control, and rule-learning in children who may be at risk for mood disorders. It is thought that these abilities might provide early indications of whether or not a child will develop a mood disorder.

Maternal mood disorders will be assessed and children will be screened for emotional and behavioral issues using standardized clinical interviews. The childrens' skills mentioned above will be studied using computer games that require, for example, remembering rules, paying attention to what is relevant and ignoring what is not, and flexibly switching from one set of rules to another. Children will practice these skills beforehand to make sure they understand what to do, and breaks between games will be given as needed. Each game is short, only about 5-15 minutes.  The childrens' activity and sleep levels will also be monitored by giving them a motion-sensitive wristwatch to wear for a week.  A sample of saliva (the child wipes a cotton swab inside his/her cheek) will be taken to look at genes associated with Bipolar disorder. The total testing time is no longer than three hours and is conducted in one day in two sessions, once a year. You and your child would be asked to come back once a year for follow-up sessions. All sessions take place on the UBC campus, 2255 Westbrook Mall (in the Detwiller Pavilion, next to UBC Hospital, room G881).

If you decide to participate, you and your child are completely free to discontinue participation at any time.  Participation in this study is completely voluntary.  To learn more about the study, or if you are interested in participating, please call 604.822.7404 or email bipolar@devcogneuro.com.  Contact in no way obligates you to participate in the study.

Who is eligible to participate?:
- Children aged to 6 - 10 years whose mother has Bipolar 1 disorder
- Children who have no vision problem that eyeglasses do not correct for
- Children who have no hearing problems
- Children and parents who can understand spoken English

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (CHAIR) IN DEPRESSION RESEARCH AT VGH AND UBC

The Centre of Excellence in Depression Research is a partnership between Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and University of British Columbia (UBC).  It is driven and directed by a senior clinician scientist who is called the "Chair".

In November 2005, Dr. Allen Young, a doctor and a researcher who is internationally recognized for his study of the neuroendocrine system and its role in mood disorders, and as a pioneer in the application of brain imaging to the study of mental illness, was announced as the chosen Leadership Chair. He conducts leading edge research to translate neuroscience findings into effective clinical treatments.

The Chair is funded in perpetuity through an endowment of $4.5 million. Donations have been invested (endowed) and the interest on the endowment funds the salaries and other expenses related to operating the Centre. The principal is preserved intact, thus ensuring long term support of the Chair. The Chair, and the team he hires, is required to attract further sources of research funding and personnel.

By assisting in the establishment of this Chair, the Kelty Dennehy Foundation envisions its support as an important step toward providing not just innovative new research and treatments for depression, but also new hope for all those affected by this debilitating disease.

Communication, Public Awareness and Education
Depression is a major illness that continues to face public ignorance, stigma and lack of funding for both care and research. Since 80% of the population is still unaware that depression is a disease and not a "state of mind", it is critical that education be one of the first steps in understanding and fighting this hidden disease. Scientific knowledge is exploding and what follows are breakthroughs in treatment and care.

The research conducted within the Centre has generated new knowledge and understanding of the origins and causes of depression. The Centre has educated scientists, doctors and other health care professionals involved in diagnosing and treating depression. It is a strong communicator about the scientific basis of depression to patients' family members and the general public. including such entities as schools, community organizations, and other support networks. One of its key objectives is to remove the stigma currently attached to this disease so that individuals suffering from depression will seek and receive appropriate treatment in a timely manner. It helps to guide those in need to the appropriate resources. In addition, the Chair establishes a contact network to assist depressed individuals in seeking information and personal professional help to combat their depression.

Research
VGH is a recognized leader in the delivery of patient care. VGH and UBC are committed to the link between quality health care and the highest standards of health research and education. As we move into the 21st century, revolutionary changes are taking place in our understanding of the processes that lead to a disease, such as depression, as well as diagnosis, treatment and health promotion. Based on the ongoing research in the field, we are on the threshold of a new era. Specifically, research within the Centre has generated new knowledge and understanding of the origin and causes of depression, and new treatments that benefit all Canadians. Researchers collaboratively work with other scientists elsewhere studying this disease.

Fundraising
In the spring of 2002, the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation with support from the community, VGH and UBC initiated a campaign to raise $6 million to support the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Depression Research. It is the only centre of its kind in Western Canada with two others in Toronto. The fundraising campaign was kicked off at a Vancouver Board of Trade meeting where Premier Gordon Campbell and others shared their personal family experience with depression.

To date, the VGH & UBC Foundation has raised in excess of $3 million from a broad range of individuals, corporations, foundations and other organizations. A number of significant gifts have been secured such as a $1.5 million commitment from the Credit Unions of BC; $500,000 from the Brain Research Centre at UBC; and $500,000 from the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation.

For more information:
Contact Ginny or Kerry Dennehy: 604.938.0588 - Whistler, BC, Canada - or by email: Click Here