Health News For Champlain
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
The Royal
D.I.F.D. at The Royal Launches Power to the Purple Challenge in Support of Youth Mental Health
February 1, 2012 (Ottawa) – D.I.F.D. at The Royal today launched the Power to the Purple Challenge presented by Giant Tiger. Power to the Purple is about creating awareness, inspiring conversations, and raising funds to transform youth mental health. Ottawa Senator and 2012 NHL All Star player, Colin Greening is championing Power to the Purple, encouraging young people to talk about mental health and to ask for help when they need it.
“Mental health is not always easy to talk about but it’s definitely worth talking about,” said Colin Greening. “We don’t talk about mental health the same way we do physical health – I want to help change that. We need to discuss mental health openly and encourage young people to do the same.
The earlier a mental illness is recognized and treated, the better the chances for recovery. Through conversation we have the power to build understanding, end stigma, and save lives.”
“In Canada we lose close to 200 children and youth to suicide each year. We need to reduce this tragic statistic,” said Andrée Steel, President and CEO, Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. “By participating in Power to the Purple, young people and adults will be inspired to talk about mental health without fear of judgment; assist in breaking down the stigma that has prevented those from seeking help in the past; and help to transform youth mental health by raising funds for research, education and suicide prevention.”
The Power to the Purple Challenge engages schools, corporations and individuals in the community to raise awareness and funds in support of D.I.F.D. The Power to the Purple school challenge centers on February 7, 2012. On that day, students are encouraged to wear purple to show their support for youth mental health. In the corporate and community challenges, companies, individuals and community groups are encouraged to start conversations about mental health, host anti-stigma events, and wear purple throughout the month of February. Each challenge also has a fundraising component. Participants are encouraged to get sponsors when they wear purple or run a fundraising event. More information about each of the challenges is available on the D.I.F.D. website.
The Power to the Purple Challenge has been made possible in part by a generous sponsorship from Giant Tiger, the Founding Presenting Sponsor of D.I.F.D’s Power to the Purple. “Through its involvement in Power to the Purple, Giant Tiger is demonstrating true corporate and community leadership which is hugely important in the fight against mental illness,” said Steel. “With support from Giant Tiger, we can encourage more youth as well as parents, teachers and other adults to make mental health part of their daily language.”
“Our youth is our country’s greatest natural resource and they deserve our greatest attention as they are our future. Giant Tiger is proud to be the Founding Presenting Sponsor of D.I.F.D’s Power to the Purple. We have supported and believed in the importance of this cause from its inception and challenge everyone to get involved,” said Lauren Moir, Vice President Marketing, Giant Tiger
Stores Limited.
D.I.F.D. is a youth-driven initiative focused on raising awareness and inspiring conversations about youth mental health. Created by friends and family of Daron Richardson who lost her life to suicide at the young age of 14, D.I.F.D. is inspired by hope for a future where young people will reach out for help without fear or shame. D.I.F.D. supports programs and initiatives aimed at transforming youth
mental health.
About The Royal
The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres. Its mandate is simple: to get more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. The Royal combines the delivery of specialized mental health care, advocacy, research and education to transform the lives of people with complex and treatment resistant mental illness. The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health raises funds that support The Royal’s work while placing a sharp focus on awareness building through the You Know Who I Am campaign. For more information, please visit http://www.theroyal.ca/.
For more information:
Karen Monaghan
Media and Communications Manager, The Royal
613.722.6521 ext. 6449
Mobile: 613.784.9482
karen.monaghan@theroyal.ca
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