Royal Canin NA Recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month Through Veterinary Industry Support
Female veterinarians were 3.5 times as likely and male veterinarians were 2.1 times as likely, to die from suicide as the general population, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control. These staggering statistics don’t convey the heartache of those affected by the numbers. Dr. Genie Bishop, a who resides in Granbury, TX, had two colleagues from her veterinary school and another close friend die by suicide and has since turned her grief into action.
Bishop, Scientific Affairs Manager, Royal Canin North America, devotes her personal and professional life to providing resources for the veterinary industry to help eradicate the mental health challenges that plague veterinary professionals. This led her to seek a Veterinary Human Support Certificate from the University of Tennessee, which was a year-long intensive study program. “I have lost way too many friends and colleagues to suicide. If by reaching one person through a seminar, article or resource, I can help them cope with a crisis, it is more than worth it,” she said.
Royal Canin, a division of Mars, Incorporated, has invested in significant resources to help assist in improving mental wellness across the industry, including mental wellness continuing education (CE) talks and award-winning modules. The business has committed to continue supporting the industry that is so critical to pets and the people who love them through other resources as well. One of the resources, a mental wellness toolkit, was created in conjunction with a veterinary social worker, raising funds to support Not One More Vet (NOMV) and developing a website with mental health resources for veterinary professionals.
“I am so grateful that Royal Canin recognized the incredible need and puts such an emphasis on helping to combat this troubling trend. We have created such impactful programs that I am certain have saved and will continue to save lives,” said Bishop.
To access some of the free resources provided by Royal Canin, visit Royal Canin.