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And if they have their way, they envision a Belizean society where mental illness can be prevented or cured. In its efforts to sensitize and educate the general public about mental disorders and mental health The Belize Mental Health Association, sponsored a speech contest for high school students held at ITVET today. And rightly so, because it's estimated that one out of five school children has a mental disorder that interferes with their ability to learn.

Jenny Lovell, President of Mental Health Association
"If you look at the number of crimes; the level of crime in the country you will understand that its stems back to mental disorders ok, a lot of children we don't have a treatment facility for children, we don't have a psychiatrist or psychologist dedicated to the needs, mental health needs of children so what happens is that these children drop out of school or they give battery in classes in classes because a lot of them are maybe ADHD, they are conduct disorders, they are oppositional disorders and those things don't mean anything to you but what does mean something is that these children give a lot of problems in classes and a lot of times it's not because they want to its because there is something wrong mentally. They need treatment, they need to be help. So what eventually happens is that these children either drop out of classes; they are kick out of classes; they are expelled out of classes; they are suspended from classes. The point is they are not getting an education because they have something wrong emotionally, behaviorally or mentally. Depression is one of these illnesses that people walk around with and they don't want to talk about it and they don't want to get treated for it because they see it as stigma and discrimination attach to having a mental illness."

Jim McFadzean
"You spoke today to those groups of students. Was it difficult for you to share your experience with cancer?"

Tishane Williams, Diagnose with cancer
"No because I want to share my experience with them and what I pass through and then that really didn't make me feel bad about myself."

Jim McFadzean
"When you were told that you had cancer. How did you deal with it emotionally?"

Tishane Williams, Diagnose with cancer
"I was shock. I didn't believe that doctor and I said like it can't be. But then I got see that the doctor is not saying a lie."

Jim McFadzean
"How were you able to deal with it emotionally? Were you able to get counseling?"

Tishane Williams, Diagnose with cancer
"Yes, my parents talk to me and they have psychologist at the hospital in Merida and they talk to me."

Jim McFadzean
"And that help you greatly?"

Tishane Williams, Diagnose with cancer
"Yes."

Jim McFadzean
"What kind of feedback did you get from the students when you shared your experience with them today?"

Tishane Williams, Diagnose with cancer
"I think they were like surprise because not everybody would come and talk about their sickness and yes I give them some words of encouragement."

World Mental Health Day is being celebrated this Sunday, October 10th.