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National spokesperson Clara Hughes and friends across the country invite
you to talk openly about mental illness to help break the stigma
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Sports figures Shea Emry and Joé Juneau, musicians Matthew Good and Robb
Nash, and comic Kevin Breel join Clara, Michel Mpambara, Seamus O'Regan
and Stefie Shock on the Bell Let's Talk team
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On January 28, Bell will donate 5¢ to mental health for your texts,
calls and tweets - you can help drive Bell Let's Talk funding beyond
the $62,043,289.30 already committed by Bell
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To learn more please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk
MONTREAL, Jan. 6, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today launched the 2014 Bell
Let's Talk campaign in support of Canadian mental health, highlighted
by the fourth annual Bell Let's Talk Day on January 28. National
spokesperson Clara Hughes again leads the campaign inviting all
Canadians to talk, text and tweet about mental health to help end the
stigma around mental illness and support mental health initiatives
around the country.
"Canadians everywhere are talking about mental health like never before.
I'm proud that Bell Let's Talk has been part of the progress, working
to help reduce the stigma by engaging everyone in the mental health
conversation. Let's keep the momentum rolling by talking like never
before!" said Ms. Hughes, Canada's six-time Olympic medalist and
national Bell Let's Talk ambassador since the initiative launched in
2010. "We all have family members, friends or colleagues who will
experience mental illness or we may struggle ourselves, as I have - yet
most people impacted still won't seek support because they fear
admitting they need help. By talking openly and supportively about
mental illness, we can all help break the stigma and improve Canadian
mental health."
While 20% of Canadians will experience a mental illness in their
lifetimes, 2 in 3 suffer in silence for fear of being judged or
rejected because of the continuing stigma. Bell Let's Talk is working
to end the stigma while providing significant funding to leading mental
health institutions and grassroots organizations in every province and
territory, championing new workplace initiatives across corporate
Canada, and supporting new research at Canadian universities and other
institutions.
"Mental illness has a huge impact on the lives of individual Canadians,
like the more than 500,000 who will miss work today because of a mental
health issue, and on our national economy with an overall financial
cost surpassing $52 billion a year," said George Cope, President and
CEO of Bell Canada and BCE. "On Bell Let's Talk Day, we invite you to
join us in lending support to those facing mental illness and the
caregivers, researchers and community leaders at the forefront of
improving Canadian mental health."
Get engaged and help drive Bell Let's Talk donations
In addition to its original $50-million commitment, Bell has pledged to
increase Bell Let's Talk funding based on the growing engagement of
Canadians in the mental health movement on Bell Let's Talk Day.
On January 28, for every text message and long distance call made by
Bell and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk at @Bell_LetsTalk, and every Facebook share of that day's Bell Let's Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents more to programs dedicated to 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.
In 2013, Canadians answered Clara's call with a total of 96,266,266
texts, long distance calls, tweets and Facebook shares, meaning Bell
Let's Talk added another $4,813,313.30 to its funding total. Bell has
now committed $62,043,289.30 to Canadian mental health based on its
original $50-million donation plus the results of the last 3 Bell Let's
Talk Days: $3,303,961.80 in 2011; $3,926,014.20 in 2012; and
$4,813,313.30 in 2013.
The Bell Let's Talk team grows
Joining Clara in the Bell Let's Talk campaign again this year are
Atlantic Canada's Seamus O'Regan, Québec spokespeople Stefie Shock and
Michel Mpambara and these new ambassadors: former NHL star Joé Juneau,
CFL veteran Shea Emry, musicians Robb Nash and Matthew Good, and
standup comic Kevin Breel. Together, the Bell Let's Talk team will be
working to encourage Canadians to join them in the growing conversation
about mental health.
"We welcome these wonderful talents to the Canadian mental health
movement," said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk. "Leading the
conversation to grow awareness, acceptance and action in Canadian
mental health, Clara and the team will make this January 28 the best
Bell Let's Talk Day yet!"
The Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative
Dedicated to promoting Canadian mental health, Bell Let's Talk is built
around 4 action pillars - anti-stigma, care and access, research, and
workplace best practices. Bell Let's Talk partners with a growing
number of mental health leaders across the country including the Royal
Ottawa Hospital, Hôpital Louis-H. Lafontaine, 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, and Brain
Canada.
The $1 million Bell Let's Talk Community Fund provides grants of $5,000
to $50,000 to organizations, hospitals and agencies focused on
improving access to mental health care in their communities in every
region of Canada. Grants support capacity-building projects aimed at
creating or expanding programs that provide front-line support and/or
reduce the stigma for those impacted by mental health issues.
To learn more please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk
Soon after Bell Let's Talk Day, Clara Hughes will set out on Clara's Big
Ride for Bell Let's Talk. Supporting local mental health initiatives by
community groups, schools and other local organizations in every
province and territory, Clara's 110-day journey around Canada by
bicycle begins March 14, spans 12,000 kilometres and will visit 95
Canadian communities, concluding in Ottawa on Canada Day, July 1. For
more information, please visit Bell.ca/ClarasBigRide.
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 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
