- Clara Hughes and the Bell Let's
Talk team invite everyone to join the conversation about mental
health
- Calls, texts, tweets and Facebook shares made today in support
of Bell Let's Talk drive Bell donations to mental health
- Learn 5 simple ways to help end the stigma around mental
illness
- Please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to learn even more
MONTREAL, Jan. 28, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Today is the
5th annual Bell Let's Talk Day in support of Canadian
mental health, and Clara Hughes and
the Bell Let's Talk team invite you to talk, text, tweet and share
to help build a Canada free of the stigma around mental
illness.
"Welcome to Bell Let's Talk Day! I look forward to joining with
you in the nationwide conversation about mental health and taking
the discussion further than ever before," said Clara, Canada's
6-time Olympic medalist and national Bell Let's Talk spokesperson
since the initiative launched in 2010. "This is our chance to let
those who struggle hear loud and clear that they have our support -
and to drive Bell's donations to mental health by talking, texting,
tweeting and sharing the Bell Let's Talk message of a stigma-free
Canada."
It's easy to join the conversation
Today, for every text message, wireless and long distance call made
by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant
customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook
share of the Bell Let's Talk Day image at
Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents more to Canadian mental health
programs.
In 2014, Canadians answered the call with a total of 109,451,718
messages including texts, wireless and long distance calls, tweets
and Facebook shares, meaning Bell added another $5,472,585.90 to its Bell Let's Talk funding
commitment. Based on its original $50
million donation and the results of the last 4 Bell Let's
Talk Days, Bell has now committed more than $67.5 million to Canadian mental health.
Bell's donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let's Talk
Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges, if
any, apply.
5 simple ways to help end the stigma
We can all help end the stigma around mental illness with these 5
simple ways:
- Language matters - pay attention to the words you use about
mental illness
- Educate yourself - learn, know and talk more, understand the
signs
- Be kind - small acts of kindness say a lot
- Listen and ask - sometimes it's best to just listen
- Talk about it - start a dialogue, break the silence
The 2015 Bell Let's Talk team
This year, TSN host Michael
Landsberg, comedian Howie
Mandel and entertainer Mary
Walsh join Clara and Québec spokespeople Stefie Shock and Michel
Mpambara in the Bell Let's Talk campaign.
The long-time host of TSN's Off The Record, Michael Landsberg is a renowned advocate for
mental health. Howie Mandel is the
internationally known comedian, actor and TV host. Mary Walsh is a social activist, comedian and
actor whose work includes the iconic news satire show This Hour Has
22 Minutes.
A new ambassador, professional golfer Andrew Jensen, has also joined comedian and
writer Kevin Breel, CFL veteran
Shea Emry and musician Robb Nash to share personal stories and
encourage Canadians to get engaged in the conversation.
"Thank you to the amazing Bell Let's Talk team for helping to
spread the mental health message. Together, we're working to end
the stigma and make mental health part of our everyday
conversations," said Mary Deacon,
Chair of Bell Let's Talk.
Bell Let's Talk Day Events
Bell Let's Talk and Cisco host nationwide student
TelePresence event
Today, Clara Hughes and Michel Mpambara will lead live interactive
webcasts linking schools nationwide to encourage youth to talk
about mental health. In Toronto,
Clara will be joined by Michael
Landsberg and Kevin Breel.
Joining Michel in Montreal will be
Alex Genest, Josiane Babin of the Montreal Mental Illness
Foundation's Partners for Life program, and NRJ radio and
television host Anais Favron, who
will moderate the event.
CLARA'S BIG RIDE documentary on CTV and CraveTV
Airing in primetime tonight on CTV and CTV Two, CLARA'S BIG
RIDE is a powerful documentary chronicling 6-time Olympic
medalist and Bell Let's Talk national spokesperson Clara Hughes' epic 110-day bicycle journey to
help build a Canada free of the stigma of mental illness.
CLARA'S BIG RIDE will be available all day on CraveTV
and CTV.ca, before airing at 7:00 pm
ET/PT in super-simulcast on CTV and CTV Two and
live-streamed on CTV GO.
Bell Media is marking the 5th annual Bell Let's Talk
Day with more than 50 hours of special mental health-themed
programming that will air across its properties, including CTV, CTV
Two, BNN, CP24, CTV News Channel, Discovery, E!, M3, Much, MTV,
RDS, Space, TSN, CraveTV, and TheLoop.ca, as well as Bell Media
digital, radio, and local TV platforms throughout the day.
To learn more about Bell Media's special Bell Let's Talk Day
programming, please visit http://bmpr.ca/15PewCc.
Toronto Raptors game in support of Bell Let's Talk
Tonight, Clara will attend the Toronto Raptors game. To celebrate
Bell Let's Talk Day, the first 10,000 fans who arrive at the game
will receive Bell Let's Talk toques and fans will be encouraged to
continue the conversation about mental health by calling, texting
and tweeting.
Canadian Armed Forces mental health awareness event
Bell Let's Talk ambassador Andrew
Jensen will participate in a panel discussion about mental
health at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa from 11 to 11 30 am.
Tomorrow night, Clara will join the Ottawa Senators and the Dallas Stars at centre
ice for the ceremonial puck drop during the Bell Hockey
Talks mental health in support of D.I.F.D (Do It For
Daron) game at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa (TSN, 7 pm
ET). Fans will receive Bell Let's Talk and D.I.F.D mittens
when they arrive at the game.
To learn more about Bell Let's Talk and how to join the
conversation, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
The Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative
Bell Let's Talk promotes mental health based on 4 action pillars -
anti-stigma, care and access, research, and workplace best
practices. The initiative supports mental health leaders across the
country including the Royal Ottawa Hospital, Institut universitaire
en santé mentale de Montréal, Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne, Montreal Jewish Hospital, the Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the University of British Columbia, the Douglas Mental
Health University Institute, Queen's University, La Fondation du
Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, Concordia University, Brain
Canada, Kids Help Phone, Sunnybrook Hospital, Université Laval
Foundation, CHU Sainte-Justine and Vancouver General Hospital.
Bell Let's Talk Community Fund
The annual Bell Let's Talk Community Fund supports organizations in
Canada focused on improving access
to programs and services that support and help improve the mental
health and wellbeing of people living with mental health issues
from coast to coast to coast with grants in the range of
$5,000 to $50,000. Applications are
now being accepted for the 2015 Bell Let's Talk Community Fund. The
2015 application period is open until March
31 and all 2015 Fund grants will be disbursed before
December 31, 2015.
To apply for 2015 funding, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing
consumers and business customers with wireless, TV, Internet, home
phone and business communications services. Bell Media is Canada's
premier multimedia company with leading assets in television,
radio, out of home and digital media. Bell is wholly owned by
Montréal's BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For more information, please
visit Bell.ca
SOURCE Bell Canada