On Saturday May 12th, I'm excited to participate in the 2nd annual March For Mental Health TO! This peaceful march will start and conclude at Nathan Phillips Square, to raise awareness for mental illness & addiction, and call for improvements to mental health and addictions services. 

Through strength in partnerships, we are calling on the provincial and federal governments to provide equitable, timely access to evidence-based mental health and addictions services, by increasing funding and ensuring a full range of mental health services and supports are accessible to every Canadian, when and where needed.

Implementing the above will improve and save thousands of lives each year.

The first 50 people to join me at the March will receive a free Mi Etcetera #MiPromise t-shirt!

 

What you need to know if you are wearing a #MiPromise t-shirt

 

What is Mi Promise?

It is the promise that I made when I lost my father to suicide, “to do something so that other families would not have to go through what her family went through.”

To date, #MiPromise is expressed as two organizations:

  • Hats On for Awareness (Non-Profit Fundraiser)
  • Mi Etcetera (Blog & Advocacy)

 

Backgrounder on Mi Promise

30 years ago, after losing my beloved father to suicide, I made a promise to do something so that other families would not have to go through what my family went through. This promise remained unspoken for 20 years, until 2008. 

In 2008, I co-founded the charity, Hats On for Awareness with friend Benny Caringi as the first expression of Mi Promise. Hats On For Awareness raises funds to further the reach of mental health programs that enhance the lives of those living with and affected by mental illness and addictions. To date we've raised over $750,000 and have supported programs at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Jack.org, Humber River Hospital Adolescent Mental Health and What’s Up Walk-in Clinic.

In 2017, I launched the Mi Etcetera blog as the second expression of my promise, and the #MiPromise campaign was born. Mietcetera.com is a platform from which I share my journey through mental illness to recovery and beyond. It is also the platform from which I express my vision for the treatment of mental illness and #MiMessage about mental illness as a transformational process:

#MiVision: That the role of unresolved trauma in mental illness is understood and excavated.

#MiMessage: The purpose of mental illness is transformation not affliction. I challenge the perception of Mental illness as an affliction.

 

#MFMHTO Meet Up Logistics

Saturday, May 12, 2018  (Rain or Shine)

We will be gathering in the southwest corner of Nathan Phillips Square at 11 am for t-shirt pick up and at 11:30 am for group photo. The peaceful March for Mental Health program begins at noon and goes to approximately 3 pm.

The March path starts at Nathan Phillips Square goes to Queens Park and concludes back at Nathan Phillips Square. Please wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.

Please remember to wear a hat in support of Hats On for Awareness and bring photos to honour someone you’ve lost.