Olympic medalist Skylar Park will be pushing for better mental health during the Canadian Mental Health Association's 2025 Push-Up Challenge
Together they are encouraging Canadians to do 2,000 push-ups in 18 days to promote mental fitness and raise funds
TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Skylar Park, two-time Canadian Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist and mental health advocate, is teaming up with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for the 2025 Push-Up Challenge (TPUC). Returning to Canada for the second year from February 11 through 28, the Challenge encourages people across the country to complete 2,000 push-ups in 18 days to support their own mental wellbeing and fitness while raising crucial awareness and generating funds for mental health support.
Skylar Park, who has long-championed mental health initiatives, will join CMHA to promote the event, bringing her passion for both fitness and mental wellness to a nationwide audience: "Mental health is something everyone can relate to. Whether it's dealing with stress, anxiety, or challenges that arise in everyday life, prioritizing mental wellness is key," said Park. "I'm excited to be part of this important movement and I hope I can inspire more people to get moving, learn more about mental health, and make a positive impact."
Last year marked the first international expansion of TPUC for the Australian-based organization, which saw more than 49,000 Canadians take on the Challenge, doing 44 million push-ups and raising over $2.4 million for CMHA. For the second year, people of all ages and walks of life from across Canada are invited again to join as we push for better mental health together.
"The impact of the Push-Up Challenge last year was significant, and we're beyond thrilled to have Skylar Park joining us in making this year's event even better," said Isabel Pérez-Doherty, national director, Fund Development, CMHA. "With Skylar's leadership and commitment to mental health, we're confident we'll have even more participation and raise more funds than last year."
While participation is free, participants are encouraged to fundraise for CMHA, supporting their essential programs and services that aid those living with mental health conditions, as well as promoting mental health awareness and resilience across the country.
"The Push-Up Challenge is a great way to get fit, build connection within your communities, and do something positive for your mental wellness," said Nick Hudson, founder, and CEO, TPUC. "We were blown away by the passion, commitment, and community spirit we saw throughout last year's challenge, and we can't wait to support Canadians as they get down and push-up this February in support of people in Canada who have lived experience of a mental illness."
TPUC challenges participants to complete 2,000 push-ups, representing the 2,000 lives lost to suicide each day, worldwide. Participants can opt to take on the full push-up target (2,000 in total) or, if that feels out of reach, aim for a smaller portion of the target to suit their abilities (e.g., half). People can also choose an alternate exercise to push-ups such as sit-ups or squats. Participants will be able to track their progress by logging their efforts through the TPUC app.
Registration is now open. People can register for The Push-Up Challenge as an individual or in teams and they are encouraged to get others involved through their workplace, clubs, gyms, or schools.
For more information and to register, visit thepushupchallenge.ca.
IMAGES AND BROLL of fun, quirky and extreme Canadian Push-uppers HERE.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health federation in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and the Yukon, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. For more information, visit cmha.ca.
About The Push-Up Challenge
Founded by Nick Hudson in Perth, Australia in 2017, The Push-Up Challenge began as a challenge between four friends and has grown to become Australia's largest mental health and fitness event, with more than 700,000 participants raising more than $50 million AUD and completing more than 1 billion push-ups to date. This year will mark The Push-Up Challenge's ninth year in Australia and second in Canada. The Challenge is a fun way for participants to connect with one another, get fit, and learn about mental health, with participants encouraged to raise money for mental health charities. The event is free to take part in and will run from February 11 to 28, 2025 in Canada. For more information and to register, visit www.thepushupchallenge.ca or @pushforbetterca.
SOURCE Canadian Mental Health Association
For more information and interview opportunities: Emma Higgins, National Communications Manager, Canadian Mental Health Association, 289-943-7710, [email protected]
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