- Clara Hughes and the Bell Let's
Talk team invite you to talk, text and join the conversation on
social media – now including Instagram and Snapchat
- Help build a stigma-free Canada by raising your voice in
support – and drive Bell's donations to mental health programs at
no extra cost to you
- Watch Howie Mandel: A Bell
Let's Talk Day Special tonight at 7
pm eastern
- Learn how to make 5 simple ways to help end the stigma part of
your conversation today
- Please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to learn more
MONTRÉAL, Jan. 25, 2017 /CNW
Telbec/ - It's Bell Let's Talk Day, and time to talk, text and
join in on social media as Canadians everywhere share in the
national conversation about mental health. By getting engaged,
you're not only offering support to the millions of Canadians
living with mental illness, you're also having a direct impact by
driving Bell's donations to mental health programs all year
round.
"Let's get talking Canada! The reality is that mental illness
affects all of us – 1 in 5 directly, and 5 in 5 of us in some way
every day with the impact of the disease on our family, friends,
neighbours and work colleagues," said Clara. "But we can and we are
making a difference. Start your own conversations today by talking
about mental health with everyone you know, and join the millions
of people in Canada and worldwide
showing their support by making a call, sending a text or getting
the word out on social media. Together, we all sent almost 126
million messages of support on Bell Let's Talk Day last year – and
I know we can take our fight against the stigma even further this
year!"
It's never been easier to join the conversation
Bell
will donate 5 cents to Canadian
mental health programs for each of these interactions you make
today, at no extra cost to you:
- Every text message, mobile call and long distance call made by
Bell Canada and Bell Aliant
customers
- Twitter: Every tweet using #BellLetsTalk – which now includes a
Bell Let's Talk hashtag emoji
- Facebook: Every view of the Bell Let's Talk Day video on
Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk
- Instagram: Every Instagram post using #BellLetsTalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let's Talk geofilter on
Snapchat
Last year, the 125,915,295 interactions on Bell Let's Talk Day
meant $6,295,764.75 in new Bell
funding for Canadian mental health programs. #BellLetsTalk was the
most used hashtag in the world on Bell Let's Talk Day 2016 and the
#1 Twitter hashtag in Canada for
all of 2016; #mentalhealth was also in the top 10, a clear
indication that Canadians are talking about mental health all year
long.
A full day of Bell Let's Talk events
Major media
outlets and organizations large and small will be talking about
mental health today, including Bell Media. Mental health themed
programming will feature across Bell Media digital, radio and TV
properties, with Clara and Canadians from all walks of life leading
the mental health conversation. Today's highlights include:
Howie Mandel: A Bell Let's
Talk Day Special
Airing in simulcast at 7 pm eastern and 7
pm Pacific on CTV and CTV Two, and streamed on CTV.ca and
the CTV GO App, Howie sits down with The Social and Your Morning's
Melissa Grelo to share his
experience with mental illness. The special will also stream on
CraveTV and be available on demand following its network
premiere.
"Living my entire life with mental health issues makes me
believe that this conversation is absolutely necessary and one that
needs to be had," said Howie. "I'm hopeful that this special will
make people feel as though they are not alone in what they
feel."
Your Morning
Bell Let's Talk Chair Mary Deacon discusses how the campaign is
helping people every day and how quickly the mental health message
has spread. Psychologist Dr. Nasreen
Khatri talks about the signs and symptoms of anxiety – from
normal levels of stress to the point where you should seek help.
Starting at 6 am eastern.
The Marilyn Denis Show
Special guest Howie Mandel candidly shares his personal
journey with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There's also a discussion of
care and treatment for military service people who struggle with
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and a viewer shares how the
show helped her realize she was suffering with Postpartum
Depression (PPD). Starting at 10 am
eastern, 11 am Pacific.
The Social
Clara joins co-hosts Melissa Grelo, Marci
Ien, Cynthia Loyst and
Lainey Lui in the show's fifth chair
to discuss mental health. President and CEO of Children's Mental
Health Ontario Kimberly Moran and her daughter also sit down with
the co-hosts to share their personal story and discuss the state of
mental health resources for kids in Canada. Starting at 1
pm eastern and 1 pm
Pacific.
TSN.ca
TSN.ca is featuring an original documentary
called The Sound of Thunder about a First Nations softball
team working to support mental health initiatives for youth in the
community.
ALT on VRAK
ALT (Actualité Légèrement Tordu), VRAK's
humourous current affairs program, welcomes Marie-Soleil Dion to discuss mental illness.
Starting at 5 pm eastern.
Discovery's Daily Planet
Features on phobias with Dr.
Stéphane Bouchard of Université du Québec en Outaouais and the
world famous Cyberpsychology lab in Gatineau, Québec, and deep brain stimulation
with Dr. Sameer Sheth, Columbia
Hospital at Columbia University Medical
Center in New York. Starting at
7 pm eastern.
Twitter Q & A with Clara and Marie-Soleil
Twitter
Canada will host a Q & A with Clara and
Marie-Soleil Dion beginning at 2:30
pm eastern. To ask a question or follow along, search
#BellLetsTalk and #QA on Twitter.
"If someone falls and hurts themselves, people will run over to
help. But mention a mental illness and far too often they'll still
turn away," said Marie-Soleil. "I'm really looking forward to
joining Clara to talk about how we can change that."
Raptors 905 game in support of Bell Let's
Talk
Michael Landsberg and
Kevin Breel will attend the Raptors
905 game at 11 am eastern at the
Hershey Centre in Mississauga
where over 5,000 young people will receive Bell Let's Talk touch
and text gloves.
"I know that every single time I talk about my own experience
and someone listens, someone's life is changed," said Michael. Adds
Kevin: "We all have our struggles at times, and the most important
thing is to let someone know about it."
Mary Walsh in Ottawa
Mary will participate in the
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) panel discussion on mental health with
CWO Kevin West, Col Rakesh Jetly,
LCdr Lyn Kingsley, and Gilles Moreau
starting at 1 pm, moderated by
Canadian Armed Forces member Lt(N) Julie
McDonald and CTV Ottawa News Anchor Graham Richardson.
Live-streaming of the panel discussion will be on Twitter,
Periscope and Facebook. Their Excellencies the Right Honourable
David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will attend the event.
"Many people who suffer from a mental illness actually have the
answers the rest of us are looking for, the wisdom and insight that
we need," said Mary Walsh. "We have
to learn to listen."
Andrew Jensen in Halifax
Andrew will be at Nova Scotia Community College to join students
in a discussion about mental health. The talk will be live-streamed
at 12 pm Atlantic to all 13 campuses.
At 7 pm, Andrew will take part in the
puck drop at the Dalhousie Varsity men's hockey team game.
"There is no question that if you have people in your life that
meaningfully show you that they care about you and your struggle,
it's a game changer," said Andrew.
Michel Mpambara in
Montréal
Michel will have lunch with children at L'Ancre des
jeunes and take part in a discussion about mental health.
"Young people are more open to differences of all sorts, so it's
important to ensure they bring that natural comfort level to
talking to and about people with mental health problems," said
Michel.
Robb Nash in Winnipeg
Robb will perform at the
Burton Cummings Theatre for over 1,200 students in
Winnipeg.
"I decided long ago that I wanted to share my story and other
people's stories so that people realize that they're not alone. I
want others to know that they don't have to suffer like me before
they start to live," said Robb.
Bell Let's Talk Day at Studio Bell in Calgary
A full day at the National
Music Centre, known as Studio Bell, includes a session with leading
music therapist Jennifer Buchanan,
the NMC President's Tour highlighting the healing and restorative
power of music, a Kimball Theatre presentation called "Why does
music make us feel emotions?" and a 90-minute evening concert with
Séan McCann.
"I believe music is strong medicine and that a song can save
your life," said Séan. "That's why it's such an honour to be able
to meet with young people to share my music and my truth."
Shea Emry in Vancouver
Shea will present a Bell
Let's Talk Community Fund cheque to Westcoast Family Centres.
"However severe or minor you believe your story might be, you
have the right to feel whatever it is you are feeling," said Shea.
"It's your experience so have the confidence that the people you
love will support you if you put yourself out there and ask for
it."
BC Place Stadium lights up
In partnership with
Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place Stadium will light up in blue
tonight in support of Bell Let's Talk and mental health.
Marie-Soleil Dion and
Stefie Shock in Québec
City
Marie-Soleil will host and Stefie will DJ the MC Soirée
FEQ – Bell Cause pour la cause.
"I've never been ashamed to talk about what I went through, but
I know that isn't true for everyone," said Stefie. "You should be
able to say that you have a mental health condition as easily as
you say that you have diabetes. Mental illness is a problem like
any other."
University Sport games in support of Bell Let's
Talk
More than 20,000 student-athletes at 54 universities
are leading the campus conversation about mental health today. More
than 100 Bell Let's Talk university sports games took place in the
lead up to Bell Let's Talk Day and 6 more are scheduled today at
Acadia, Dalhousie, Ryerson,
Western and the University of Prince Edward
Island. Learn more about the student-athlete mental health
initiative and watch their videos by visiting OneTeam.Bell.ca.
"By sharing their personal stories candidly and with such
passion, everyone on the Bell Let's Talk team is working to get us
talking about mental illness as openly as we would any serious
health concern," said Mary Deacon,
Chair of Bell Let's Talk. "Please join in by raising your own voice
in support of those who struggle and show that we're all ready to
move past the stigma that has kept mental illness in the shadows
for far too long."
5 simple ways to fight the stigma
Everyone can help
end the stigma around mental illness by learning the 5 simple ways
developed by Dr. Heather Stuart,
whose position as the first Bell Canada Mental Health and
Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen's University was renewed
yesterday:
- 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 speak a lot
- Listen and ask – sometimes it's best to just listen
- Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence
About Bell Let's Talk
Bell Let's Talk promotes mental
health based on 4 action pillars – anti-stigma, care and access,
new research, and workplace best practices. Bell Let's Talk was
launched in September 2010 as a
5-year program with a $50 million
donation from Bell, and a commitment to grow its funding based on
the engagement of Canadians in the cause on Bell Let's Talk Day. In
September 2015, Bell announced it
would extend the initiative a further 5 years and commit to at
least $100 million in funding for
Canadian mental health.
Bell Let's Talk has partnered with more than 700 organizations
all around Canada to deliver new care initiatives in every region
of the country, including through donations to major institutions;
the annual Bell Let's Talk Community Fund; the Bell True Patriot
Love Fund for military members, veterans and their families; and a
dedicated fund for Canada's 3 Territories. Bell Let's Talk is
driving new research at universities and health care facilities –
including the Douglas-Bell Brain Bank, the Brain Canada Research
Training Fund, and the world's first anti-stigma research chair at
Queen's University – and advancing the development of innovative
new technologies supporting mental health.
Bell helped fund the world's first national workplace mental
health and safety standard, and was one of the first to adopt it,
with some 10,000 Bell managers having completed compulsory mental
health training to date. Bell also partnered with Morneau Shepell and Queen's University to
develop the world's first university-certified workplace mental
health training program, now in use at more than 250 companies.
Media inquiries:
Jacqueline Michelis
(613) 785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_News
SOURCE Bell Canada