CAMH and the Leafs partner for Hockey Talks

By Sean O’Malley
Senior Media Relations Specialist

Jason and Roger have a lot in common.  Both are die-hard fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Neither of them had ever been to a Leafs game until last Wednesday.

Both of them say they feel lucky to be alive.

That is because Jason and Roger are both CAMH clients who spent many years dealing with mental illness and addiction before beginning their path to recovery.

Jason and Roger were among 50 CAMH current and former clients who, thanks to a partnership between the MLSE Foundation, Ford Canada and the CAMH Foundation’s Gifts of Light program, cheered on the home team in a thrilling 6-3 victory of the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

The Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Night partnership between the Leafs and CAMH is  now in its seventh year.

“I am so glad to be here,” said Jason. “For an organization like the Leafs to support CAMH in this way is so great.”

Shortly before the game began, Gifts of Light Manager Quinn Kirby did a live interview that was broadcast to the full house of almost 20,000 fans on the Jumbotron.

“Mental illness has directly affected my family, so having a job that allows me to bring positive experiences to people with mental illness means a lot,” said Kirby. “With the support of awareness initiatives like Hockey Talks, we can all play a role in challenging the stigma that exists around mental illness and addiction.”

Earlier in the day, CAMH Psychologist Dr. Katy Kamkar spoke to Leafs TV about the importance of mental health awareness for a segment that will be broadcast on Bell Let’s Talk day on Wednesday, January 30th.

“We know that every year, one in five Canadians will experience mental illness including addiction,” said Dr. Kamkar. “Everyone is potentially at risk, including pro athletes. Being physically fit does not make you immune from mental illness.”