Delta Burke Leads "Goal!" Campaign to Help People with Depression

Contact: Shannon Walsh212-601-8128[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DELTA BURKE LEADS "GOAL!" CAMPAIGN TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION "GO ON AND LIVE!"

New York, April 23, 2002 -- Today, at the start of National Volunteer Week, Delta Burke, two-time Emmy Award nominated actress and long-time depression sufferer, announced a national awareness campaign called "GOAL! Go On And Live." The GOAL! campaign will help illustrate what it means to achieve virtual elimination of depression symptoms (remission) and once again fully enjoy the areas of life, like volunteering, that make people who they are.

GOAL! will reach people where depression impacts them the most -- in the home, at work, in their relationships, in universities, and in communities -- with initiatives that will be launched throughout the year. The first wave of the GOAL! campaign -- the GOAL! Awards and Community Service Initiative -- will identify and celebrate people overcoming depression who demonstrated their recovery by engaging in volunteerism and who help others to do the same. The Awards are sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

"I am known in public for my comedic roles on TV, but I was in a dark and lonely place for a long time before I got the help I needed," says Delta, most famous for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the long-running sitcom Designing Women. "With the right treatment, I emerged from the darkness and rediscovered the joys in my life, like my acting career, my husband, and volunteering. Those were my goals -- I want to help other people suffering from depression to reach their goals, too."

"The good news is that the stigma attached to depression is waning as more people, like Delta Burke, become public about it and set examples for successful treatment," says Norman Sussman, M.P.A, M.D., F.A.P.A., clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. "However, people are still settling for just having a response to treatment and not getting back to the way they were before the illness. People need to know that virtual elimination of symptoms is really possible and achievable with the right treatment. Patients should work with their doctor to find the right treatment for them."

Depression affects approximately 19 million Americans each year and interferes with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Symptoms may include a persistent sad or anxious mood; feelings of hopelessness, guilt or irritability; loss of interest in nearly all activities; decreased energy; difficulty concentrating or making decisions and, in severe cases, thoughts of death or suicide.

According to a national survey, people who have achieved remission of their depression symptoms define the success of their treatment in terms of their ability to engage and take pleasure in the activities that are most meaningful to them, especially family life, hobbies, and volunteering. In fact, their involvement in volunteering increased from 28 percent to 41 percent, making it fairly consistent with the national average for volunteering (44 percent).

"Volunteering is a wonderful way to get back into life," says Robert K. Goodwin, president and chief executive officer of the Points of Light Foundation, the country's leading volunteer organization. "We've seen a lot of people who have recovered from depression who want to get involved and we want others to be inspired by their example. The GOAL! Awards is a special way to acknowledge those people who have overcome depression and then gone on to help others through volunteer efforts."

For more information about the GOAL! Awards nomination criteria, call 1-800-VOLUNTEER or visit the GOAL! Web site at www.GoOnAndLive.com. The GOAL! award winners will be recognized during a ceremony hosted by Delta Burke this fall in New York.

GOAL! consumer brochures are available at the Points of Light community centers across the country, online and through 1-888-830-GOAL. GoOnAndLive.com provides information about living beyond depression and interactive components including a "remission and recovery" self-quiz, a pulse survey, and a newsroom.

About The Points of Light FoundationFounded in May 1990, the Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization devoted to promoting volunteerism. The Foundation is based in Washington, DC, and works in communities throughout the United States through a network of over 500 Volunteer Centers. Its Board of Directors includes prominent and politically diverse national leaders from business, education, and the nonprofit communities. Former President George Bush serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Board.

About Wyeth PharmaceuticalsWyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, has leading products in the areas of women's health care, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system, inflammation, hemophilia, oncology and vaccines. Wyeth (NYSE:WYE) is one of the world's largest research-driven pharmaceutical and health care products companies. It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and nonprescription medicines that improve the quality of life for people worldwide. The Company's major divisions include Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort Dodge Animal Health.

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