Introduction
Considering that our project centers around MDD, we wanted to ensure that mental health and wellness learning was a priority for our team members and for our community outreach. As such, we hosted a social contact event for our students, creating a safe and comfortable space to voice our own stories about mental health and to provide support to one another. We believe that it is vital to not only speak about the importance of mental health but to demonstrate that in practice - which is exactly what our team has worked to do this year.
Furthermore, based on our learning from stakeholder interviews, our team members wrote a children’s book and collaborated with iGEM Waterloo members to fulfill the visual components, ultimately illustrating what living with depression is like and how people with mental illnesses can live normal lives. Prior to and after the Jamboree, our team is planning to host a reading at local elementary schools and public libraries.
School Collaborations
McMaster Synthetic Bio
Our team met with the McMaster Syn Bio (McMaster_A) team based at the same university on multiple occasions to discuss iGEM logistics such as travel plans and specific deliverables, in addition to consulting on specific wetlab issues. We also extended an invitation to the McMaster Syn bio team to attend our social contact event and have a discussion surrounding the premise of mental health.
University of Waterloo
Prior to the children’s book collaboration, our McMaster team had discussions and meetings via zoom, with members of the waterloo team. We were able to establish a professional bond with the Waterloo team by introducing to each other the members of our team. We also touched upon topics such as traveling logistics and most importantly, we introduced our projects to one another- providing feedback to one another.
Children's Book
Mental health can be a complicated topic. Through our research as a Human Practices team, and in speaking with several stakeholders, we learned about different areas of mental health and well-being, mental illnesses and disorders and treatment. Our journey through research, discussions and learning only reinforced an understanding that mental health is a challenging topic for many people. There is much education required in classrooms, workplaces and homes to better understand what mental health is and how to address it. One step forward is making learning about mental health more accessible through knowledge translation. Our team took the initiative to help promote mental health awareness and education through creating a children’s book.
“There’s a Monster in my Shadows” tells the story of a child who is taunted by a fearful monster who follows him everywhere. At home, he fears to tell his parents of his monster due to judgment. At school, he has lost friends and is made fun of by other children. By himself, he feels exhausted and does not know where to turn to for help. That is until he sees another monster following someone else around.
Our story details the everyday struggles of children struggling with undiagnosed mental disorders like depression and anxiety, or children who are unsure of their emotions and just don’t feel right. We write about the symptoms children may experience, as well as recognize experiences and feelings that children reading may relate to. This story is a journey of learning and acceptance.
We worked as a team over several months in storyboard creation, writing and illustrating. Our team used our research conducted throughout our project, including literature reviews, interviews with stakeholders and personal conversations, to create a storyline relatable to children, but also involving some translated concepts related to mental health. Our authors then compiled our ideas and delved into writing, using an alternating rhyme and engaging language. As our target audience is ages 6 to 10, we ensured to use a tone that was understandable for children.
In this project we were able to promote the collaboration of different creatives, and work with another iGEM team in doing so. Our illustrators teamed up with the University of Waterloo iGEM team to bring this story to life with corresponding illustrations. Each student was responsible for a different component of the illustrations from the background to the characters and monsters themselves–creating a unique combination of artistic styles!
While there is still much to do in terms of making mental health education and awareness more accessible to all individuals, especially youth, we hope that our book is one step in the right direction.
Sneak Peek of our Book!
Social Contact Event
Given the complexities of a hybrid post-pandemic competition year, it should come as no surprise that full in-person meetings were limited between subteams to minimize disease risk and maintain research focus. Therefore, this fall semester marked the first in-person official McMaster iGEM meeting held between all three sub-teams. However, mGEM’s first in-person social circle went beyond just a general meet and greet; working in collaboration with McMaster SynBio, we wanted to apply our research focus to our members’ own lived experiences in a discussion on mental health. Planning such sensitive conversations was done with the professional guidance of McMaster’s Student Wellness Centre, Zaineb Khawaja, who supported our efforts to build a safe and inclusive environment for everyone joining the discussion. Taking a break from our lab coats and research studies, we came together over coffee and snacks, going around the table as members discussed the shared “student experience” and how it impacts our understanding of mental health and wellness. Difficult conversations were held, such as experiencing stigma on campus, potential coping techniques, and where to reach out for resources and support for students in need. Overall, the meeting brought members from both iGEM teams and our various subteams together in a bonding opportunity made possible by everyone’s contributions. Whether it be in research or in other aspects of life, mental well-being is always a conversation worth starting.
