Media advisory - Take Action Now on Mental Health

CAMIMH asks all Parties to Take Action Now and put the spotlight on Canada's Mental Health in the 2015 election and beyond

OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) will hold a news conference on Parliament Hill during Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) to honor the Faces of Mental Illness for 2015 and to ensure all Parties put the spotlight on the need for services and support for mental health in Canada. They will also host federal officials for a luncheon to celebrate the work already being done in various federal departments to support Canada's mental health.

Who:	Florence Budden, CAMIMH Campaign Chair 2015
	Faces of Mental Illness:
	Peter Neily	As a police officer in the RCMP Cornwall Regional Task Force, Peter is now publicly sharing his story to break down the barriers and prejudices about mental illness within law enforcement. Peter talks about his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder in the hopes of that it will encourage other folks in uniform seek help when necessary.
	Kendra Fisher	As a former star hockey player and now mental health advocate, Kendra has realized that by sharing her story, she could help others. At the age of 19, she was diagnosed with generalized anxiety, severe panic attacks, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical depression. The positive support and feedback she received about opening up about her mental health issues has motivated her to continue working with mental health organizations and young people in hopes what she says can help them.
	Wali Shah	A student and youth mentor for Nexus Youth Services from Mississauga, Ontario, Wali is dedicated in raising awareness about mental health. As he struggled with anxiety and depression, poetry and music have helped him in his recovery. In 2014, he was named  one of Canada's Top 20 Under 20, and received Safe City Mississauga's Bell Youth Hero Award for his work as a speaker/musician using the arts to raise awareness about social issues and mental health.
	Patricia Lemoine	As a communications and marketing manager, Patricia struggled with bulimia during her teenage years, up until her mid-twenties. Today, as part of her ongoing healing and recovery process, Patricia shares her personal experience with mental illness because she believes breaking silence is critical to promote dialogue and end stigma. In 2014, Patricia was invited to testify about her lived experience with an eating disorder at the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (FEWO). She also volunteers on the Board of TRACOM a Montreal crisis center offering psychosocial intervention services for adults as well as their loved ones. Patricia believes there is no health without mental health.
	Julie Tansey	Julie was diagnosed with agoraphobia and panic disorder at age 14. Although she has faced many obstacles in her life, Julie never gave up which is why she is proud to be a mental health activist. She is a member of several organizations, does volunteer work, and is a member of the Longueuil mental health consultative committee. Her goal is to create dialogue on a range of topics  so people can speak up about their struggles with mental health, in order to feel less alone.
Where:	Press Conference Tuesday, October 6^th, 2015  9:00 am Parliament Hill, Charles Lynch Room
	Luncheon  12:00 pm-2:00 pm Indigo Room, Indigo Hotel, 123 Metcalfe Street

Established in 1998, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is an alliance of mental health organizations comprised of health care providers and organizations representing persons with mental illness and their families and caregivers. CAMIMH's mandate is to ensure that mental health is placed on the national agenda so that persons with a lived experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate access to care and support.

SOURCE Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health

To learn more about CAMIMH's campaigns, please visit camimh.ca or contact: Alexandra Dionne Charest, E-mail: [email protected], Telephone: [phone] ext.232, Cell: 514 583-9359