Canadian ADHD Awareness Week: what's your story?

From October 14 to 21: Learn, Understand and Inspire

MARKHAM, ON, Oct. 15, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada (CADDAC) is pleased to launch the Canadian ADHD Awareness Week, an interactive national event that will be celebrated coast to coast from October 14 to 21 to provide a voice to patients, their families and experts.

This year's theme is "Learn. Understand. Inspire." ADHD Awareness Week is shining the light on ADHD to inspire understanding and eliminate stereotypes and stigma.

"ADHD is a complex neurobiological disorder that remains highly misunderstood," said Heidi Bernhardt, national director of CADDAC. "By sharing up-to-date medical information and real-life stories, CADDAC and its partners are sending a unified message to help educate and better understand ADHD and what it is like to live with the disorder."

Learn. Understand. Inspire.

Celebrated nationally from October 14 to 21, ADHD Awareness Week provides Canadians with the opportunity to get the facts about ADHD, read personal stories and share their own story on CADDAC's new Facebook page: www.facebook.ca/ADHDWeek. Anyone can become a member and "Like" the page.

Canadians will also be able to view an exciting new video, entitled "ADHD:  Real People / Real Life" addressing the continuing misinformation and stigma surrounding ADHD. The video will be available starting October 15 at www.youtube.com/ADHDvid. Everyone who has an interest in ADHD is invited to share this video with someone they feel should be better informed. They are also encouraged to download information and a free poster at www.caddac.ca to help initiate conversations and eliminate myths.

Messages posted on the ADHD Awareness Week Facebook page are meant to help those going through a tough time feel less alone and inspire a better understanding of what it is like to live with ADHD. "ADHD is a disorder that can impact many areas of a person's life and, if left untreated, can lead to additional disorders, such as anxiety and depression," added Lily Hechtman, professor of psychiatry and president of the Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance (CADDRA), a national not-for-profit organization of healthcare professionals that have produced Practice Guidelines to educate physicians on ADHD.

Affecting over one million Canadians, ADHD is one of the most prevalent neurobiological disorders in the country. It is not gender specific¹ and affects both children and adults. Those with ADHD need not be defined by the disorder. While there is no cure, most people who manage their ADHD with appropriate treatments can be successful in school, work and relationships, and live productive lives.

Learn more about ADHD Awareness Week by visiting www.facebook.ca/ADHDWeek.

About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a hereditary neurological disorder that primarily results in difficulty regulating attention and impacts almost every aspect of daily living including learning, organization skills and time management. The most conservative estimates indicate that ADHD affects over 1 million Canadians, an average of one to three children in every classroom and at least one employee in every small business. ADHD that is not recognized and treated defers huge costs to our social and economic systems. There are excellent multi-modal intervention approaches available to manage the symptoms of ADHD.

About CADDAC

CADDAC is a national not-for-profit organization that provides leadership in education, awareness and advocacy for ADHD organizations and individuals with ADHD across Canada. CADDAC provides a wide-range of information for children, parents, doctors and educators on its website, www.caddac.ca, as well as information on our up-coming conference and future educational events.

About CADDRA

The Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance (CADDRA) is the leading Canadian source of reliable, evidence-based ADHD information and expertise for healthcare practitioners. It increases awareness and promotes excellence in assessment and treatment through its internationally-renowned Canadian ADHD Practice Guidelines, training courses, new ADHD assessment toolkit for primary care practitioners, and an eLearning portal. www.caddra.ca

An initiative of CADDAC (Center for ADHD Awareness Canada) with the support of CADDRA (Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance), CHADD Canada and the PANDA network. This project is sponsored through an unrestricted educational grant from Shire.

^1 CADDAC. www.caddac.ca/cms/page.php?67

SOURCE: Centre for ADHD Awareness (CADDAC)

SOURCE: 

Heidi Bernhardt
National Director, CADDAC
416-637-8584

INFORMATION:

Montreal
Dominique Quirion / Catherine Nazair
514-843-2302 / 514-843-2354

Toronto
Cindy Woodcock
416-848-1382

Calgary
Emma Stevens
403-531-0331 ext. 234

Vancouver
Erica Simpson
1-604-691-7386