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Mental Health Advocate and Keynote Speaker: Joshua Deegan on his Documentary Bruised Not Broken3/7/2021 Josh Deegan (19), from Mullingar, is the brainchild behind a brand new mental health documentary entitled “Bruised Not Broken”. Michael Benson Productions will steer the documentary with speakers in the film Josh, Jackie Fox (Founder of Coco’s law), the Brighter Thoughts Ireland team, mental health nurses, and counsellors. Jackie recently campaigned for Cocos Law, which President Michael D. Higgins approved in December 2020. This bill is in memory of Nicole Fox Fenlon (Jackie’s daughter), who lost her life to cyberbullying. It will criminalise the distribution of intimate images without consent from the person. Previously, there were several meetings with justice Minister Helen McEntee to get this bill across. It reached all the Seanad stages as the “Harassment, Harmful, Communications, and Related Offences bill”. Josh claims growing up in Mullingar was excellent when he was younger, but the older he got, the more he realised there were not many opportunities available for people like himself. He attended St Mary’s primary school in St Mary’s and enrolled at CBS, Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar, secondary school, where he succeeded with a Leaving Certificate in 2019. Furthermore, he attended Moate Business College in 2019 and graduated in 2020 with an Advanced Social Studies certificate. Secondly, he was a first responder with the Order of Malta, which he has curtailed to focus on his organisation. He claims he has learned life skills from being a member and would encourage others also to follow their dreams. Over the past three years, Deegan, owner of Brighter Thoughts Ireland, a mental health support group, which got no public funding, has gained a reputation for himself as one of Ireland’s leading youth mental health advocates. Schools, youth clubs, and the DCU mental health week are events that he has informed people about the mental health stigma. In 2019, he was honoured at the Garda Youth Award’s in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. On the night, MC Will Faulkner from Midlands 103 said, “you set up your own organisation, and what age are you” Josh replied he was seventeen. In 2020, he was honoured by the Garda force again for his actions. Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Josh said that over the last number of years, he has battled with depression, anxiety and feels that the problem has escalated since the Covid-19 pandemic. “I have lost a number of friends through suicide which has affected me but also made me want to stand up, and speak out, and evoke change. Of course, mental health needs to be addressed way more in Ireland, and the existing services need to be improved so much.” “Covid-19 has greatly affected people’s mental health. I have seen an increase in the numbers of people reaching out to services requesting help of all ages.” He added. In 2017, he was selected as a “Cycle Against Suicide” ambassador. He was a committee member of Darkness Into Light Mullingar, a Pieta House fundraiser. “I have worked with Darkness into Light Mullingar. As of this year, the committee has currently stepped down.” Speaking as filming began in Mullingar, Josh said the film aims to increase understanding about what people can achieve to help others. Furthermore, he woukd like to promote a culture where suicide should be okay to talk about. Due to the current pandemic, a date has not been set for the release of the documentary. The temporary date set by Josh and his team is September 2021, for release on the Bruised not Broken Facebook page. Looking ahead, his ambitions are to have it showed for a screening in the IMC cinema Mullingar. Here, people can support their local citizen in his lifelong dream. “I don't really have any plans as of yet I rather live in the moment and take it day by day. I’m motivated to do this documentary because I know it will help so many people, and open up a conversation to talk more about mental health.” Josh Deegan concluded.
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