PRESS RELEASE: Psychs on Bikes Riding into Country Towns Screening for Silent Killers
Psychs on Bikes delivering free head and body checks for hypertension, diabetes, alcoholism, and depression in rural and remote Australian communities .
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 12 April 2022 – Psychs on Bikes, is a charity of volunteer mental health professionals, riding from Adelaide to Tennant Creek and then east to Emerald, to deliver free health and head checks to Australians living in rural and remote communities.
Psychs on Bikes founder and psychiatrist, Dr Joe Dunn explains “When a convoy of motorbikes thunders into town we inevitably draw attention. Our motorbikes act as an ice breaker for conversations with men and women that lead to deeper questions about their emotional wellbeing.”
“Rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure, depression and suicide are much higher in rural areas than urban ones, so we want to raise awareness and get them thinking about ‘what is anxiety’ or ‘how much alcohol is too much,” Dr Dunn said.
Starting April 30th Psychs on Bikes will start in Adelaide and ride north to Tennant Creek stopping in local communities including Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Erldunda, Alice Springs and Daly Waters. They then head east working with local cattle stations to deliver health and head checks to staff. The entire ride covers 5,180 kms of road over two weeks.
Last year the Psychs on Bikes Crew visited cattle stations and spoke with 170 cattle station staff. When asked if they would like Psychs on Bikes to return, one hundred percent said yes. The Psychs on Bikes model has been well-received and embraced by these communities.
Dr Dunn expands “We deal with people’s emotions, thoughts, personalities, hearts, and souls and these are things you can’t measure. But these are things that can also completely incapacitate you.”
Psychs on Bikes receives no government funding. The organisation relies on the generosity of our volunteer psychiatrists, psychologist, nurses, and other health professionals, along with donations from the public. If you would like to support Psychs on Bikes, then consider donating here: https://bit.ly/3hrZCsd
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Related links
www.psychsonbikes.com
Psychs on Bikes 2021 Ride Wrap Up: https://vimeo.com/570087586
About Psychs on Bikes: https://vimeo.com/343565603
Psychs on Bikes (PoB) is a group of mental health professionals who raise awareness of mental health issues in rural and remote communities and who also have a passion for motorcycles. We ride our motorcycles into the communities to provide physical and mental health checks and education. Since 2012, PoB has provided more than one thousand one-on-one health checks in rural and remote Australia. The most significant outcome has been raising an individual’s awareness of the implications of their mental suffering both for themselves and their families, along with destigmatising the idea of seeking help and working to identify ways they might begin the process of helping themselves.
Related links
www.psychsonbikes.com
Psychs on Bikes 2021 Ride Wrap Up: https://vimeo.com/570087586
About Psychs on Bikes: https://vimeo.com/343565603
