A press release from beyondblue…
THOUSANDS of football fans will be treated to the dulcet tones of beyondblue’s Dr Brian Ironwood when he sings the national anthem before tomorrow’s Eastern Football League Grand Final in Bayswater.
Dr Ironwood isn’t a real practitioner but he takes seriously his role as the face of beyondblue’s Man Therapy campaign, which aims to tackle depression and anxiety in men and reduce the high rate of male suicide.
While Dr Ironwood’s reputation as an irreverent champion of good mental health is legendary, it is a little-known fact that he is also a classically-trained singer.
The EFL has decided to harness his unique talents to provide some entertainment while driving home a serious mental health message before Noble Park and Balwyn clash at 2.30pm at Bayswater Oval.
Dr Ironwood said the invitation was an honour and that it was an excellent opportunity to urge men to have the balls to take action on depression and anxiety.
“As many men know, singing is a great stress reliever, and I can often be found honing my skills in the shower,” he said.
“One way to help maintain good mental health is making time to do the things that you enjoy, whether that be singing, playing football or just catching up with friends.
“Because even the toughest blokes can experience conditions such as depression and anxiety, I would ask all men to visit www.mantherapy.org.au to learn more about maintaining good mental health and how they can take action to get support if they need it.
“Given how much your mental health affects your life and the lives of your loved ones, looking after your mental health is just about the manliest thing you can do, even more so than playing footy or singing.”
beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell AO said Man Therapy was launched in June this year in response to Australia’s disturbingly high male suicide rate, which shows Australian men are more than three times more likely to die by suicide than women.
“More than 1700 Australian men died by suicide in 2011, the latest year for which figures are available, and suicide is the biggest killer of Australian males aged between 15 and 44,” she said.
“We knew something had to be done, which is why we launched Man Therapy.
“Dr Brian Ironwood uses a combination of humour and straight-talking to promote beyondblue’s message that support is out there and that people are often amazed at how good they feel once they are on the road to recovery.
“Having Dr Ironwood perform is a wonderful opportunity for beyondblue to promote its messages to the football community in Melbourne’s East and we thank the EFL for this opportunity.”
EFL CEO Rob Sharpe said beyondblue and the EFL have formed a strong working partnership in 2013.
“The programs that beyondblue deliver are extremely relevant to our clubs,” he said.
“This association that we have is making a real difference and it is something we value highly.”
