The Toronto Maple Leafs will host their fifth annual Hockey Talks night on Saturday, February 25 during their game against the Montreal Canadiens at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs are advocates of continuing the conversation about mental health and will engage their fans in-arena and at home during the game. The Hockey Talks initiative is in partnership with all Canadian NHL teams, with each team holding their own respective awareness night this season.
MAPLE LEAFS PARTNER WITH THE CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH (CAMH)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have partnered with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) for five consecutive years to promote Hockey Talks in Toronto. As part of the partnership, Dr. Katy Kamkar of CAMH made an appearance on the Maple Leafs Blue and White Week show and will also be featured on the Leafs TV broadcast on Saturday. Fans will have the opportunity to learn about mental health through public service announcements during the game on February 25. In addition, all Leafs players will be wearing Hockey Talks helmet decals during the game. Leafs fans can spread their own message of mental health awareness on social media using the hashtag #HockeyTalks. For more information about this initiative and to watch the PSA, click here.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
According to mental health experts, on average one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in their lifetimes; thereby affecting indirectly many more Canadians through a family member, friend or colleague. Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment, but also to acceptance in the community. Approximately 70 percent of mental health problems and illnesses have their onset during childhood or adolescence. Identifying the signs early and getting connected to tools and support is the most important way to prevent problems from becoming worse. Mental health problems and illnesses can be treated effectively.
(These statistics were compiled from information available through the following websites: Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.)
CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world’s leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.