The last 8 months my dad Joe has spent the majority of the time between Lurgan Hospital, Craigavon Hospital and Bluestone Mental Health Unit.

At 84 years old my dad was diagnosed with psychotic depression. A combination of loss of his own mobility, worrying about my mum who had broken her hip and declining health had all contributed to his diagnosis.

For those who don't know Joe, he is I'm sure like so many other dads, grand dad's and great grand dads - caring, loving, devoted, proud, worked hard all his life, would do anything for his family and as I know personally, give his last shilling to those who needed that little bit of help (even when he couldn't afford it).

To see him struggling with how he was feeling, not knowing what was wrong was so difficult. Eventually the depression was diagnosed and he was admitted to Bluestone Mental Health Unit at Craigavon Hospital. The care, attention and treatment he received from the staff at Bluestone over the next 2 months enabled him to be discharged to Lurgan for rehabilitation.

Over the next 3 months he bounced between Lurgan, Craigavon and Bluestone but eventually came home last month.

Mobility has not returned but his mental state has significantly improved and he is almost back to the Joe we all know and love.

I have a 100km cycle challenge coming up on 19th June and would like to raise some funds through this JustGiving page. The money raised will go to the Bluestone unit at Craigavon to help support the non medical activities that Bluestone provide to help its patients get back on their feet, activities that encourage social interaction such as knitting, bowling, craft work (Funds to go to Patients Comfort Fund).

I have no real target other than to give something back to Bluestone to help them deliver their interaction activities to current and future patients.

Thank you for reading and for anything you can afford to give.

Tony