MANILA, Philippines — Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa continues to work on her mental health advocacy by forming a partnership with KonsultaMD.
The beauty queen, who recently made waves with a much-talked about cover for Harper's Bazaar Vietnam, has been vocal about fighting depression.
She was diagnosed with it, which lasted for six to seven months. She shared her journey in a 2016 interview on how she and certain members of her family fought with it.
“Depression is a real sickness that needs to be treated for you to get better. I know it takes supreme effort on your end. It takes willpower. It is going to be difficult, but you have to drag yourself out of bed; just take it one day at a time. Brushing your teeth and taking a shower when you’re depressed may be the smallest thing, but that is already a triumph,” said Kylie.
Kylie established Mental Health Matters (MHM) in 2017 as an online and support group and is now a non-government organization. The organization aims to raise awareness and remove the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness.
It continues to educate parents, schools, universities and corporate institutions. Stemming from the culture of belongingness and acceptance from the pillars of MHM, the organization has extended their community throughout the Philippines.
Those in need of support may receive free consultations for one month by simply downloading the KonsultaMD app and inputting KMDKylie as the voucher code, then pressing “2” for mental health assistance when calling the KonsultaMD hotline.
“Having access to telehealth for one’s mental health is now essential. Telehealth bridges the gap across remote areas where no doctors are physically present. Through KonsultaMD, you can consult a doctor anytime, anywhere through voice or video,” said Cholo Tagaysay, KonsultaMD chief executive officer.
KonsultaMD is a 24/7 telemedicine service under 917Ventures, a corporate venture builder and wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe. Manned by skilled and licensed Filipino doctors, it provides not only primary health care but also mental health support and psychiatric and psychological services through voice or video calls anytime, anywhere. The app also offers e-prescriptions, e-laboratory requests and e-medical certificates.