HOW I COPE
Rebecca backs campaign
THE widow of cancer campaigner Irfon Williams is backing a new drive to improve mental wellbeing in North Wales.
Mr Williams, a former UK Nurse of the Year, advocated the need for children and young people to talk about mental health issues during his 25-year career as a mental health nurse and manager.
The father-of-five continued to inspire people with his positivity and determination to help others after he was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer in January 2014.
Following his death in May aged 46, his wife Rebecca says focusing on small, every day actions to look after her mental wellbeing helps her and young sons, Sîon and Ianto, through the grieving process.
Registered psychiatric nurse Mrs Williams has lent her support to a new campaign led by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Public Health Team to encourage people to embrace its 5 Ways to Wellbeing.
Research shows that focusing on the five ways – encouraging people to connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give – can boost wellbeing.
The campaign is being launched to coincide with the NHS’ national Self Care Week from November 13-19.
Mrs Williams said: “When Irfon was diagnosed it became more important than ever for us to practice what we preach.
“We focused very heavily on the small, every day actions we could take to look after our mental health, to see us through what was a very difficult time.
“Focusing on the 5 Ways to Wellbeing was especially useful for Irfon at the time, and it’s helping me now as I go through the process of grieving.
“Simple things like getting some gentle exercise, spending time with people whose company you enjoy, learning new skills and taking notice of the positive things in life can really help you feel better, even when life gets especially tough.
“Giving back to the local community through the #TeamIrfon fundraising campaign also helped give our wellbeing a boost, and I’m really proud that the campaign is still helping others.”
She added: “I’ve found that focusing on these small actions every day can really help to improve your mental health.”
The health board’s campaign also encourages employers to create supportive environments for employees to participate in 5 Ways activities.
Teresa Owen, executive director of public health at the health board, said: “The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are simple things to build into our lives every day to give our wellbeing a boost.
“Research shows that small improvements in wellbeing can help to decrease some mental health problems and help us to flourish.
“Connecting with people, going for a short walk, noticing the environment we live in, doing something nice for a friend and trying something new all have a positive impact.
“Good mental wellbeing doesn’t mean that we never experience feelings or situations that we find difficult, but it means we feel we have the resilience to cope when things get tough.”