The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Champlain East held the March for Mental Health on Thursday, October 5 in Hawkesbury. The purpose of the walk was to raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce the stigma involving the discussion of mental health.
CMHA Champlain East Mental Health Promotor Geneviève Desrochers said one in five Canadians each year has a mental illness and 70 percent of children and youth with mental illnesses do not access the specialized treatment they need.
Danielle Renaud and Kandy-Lyn Bartsch both spoke to the audience about their challenges with mental illness. The CMHA Champlain East also presented Daniel Carrière with the Hope and Resilience Award.
The March for Mental Health left the Robert Hartley Sports Complex and followed streets in the downtown area.
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