MONTREAL – Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk Day appears to have been another unqualified success.
Just after midnight, the Bell Let’s Talk web site said it had counted 136,560,989 interactions across all of the platforms in which it was tracking mentions, texts, calls, hashtags, video views and so on. At 5 cents each, that’s over $6.8 million raised to help fund mental health programs across Canada (although there may be some counting of mentions still happening after Cartt.ca went to bed for the night…)
Canadians (or anyone really) could talk, text and join in on social media, watch a video or tweet with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, for example, to help raise money. Bell, as it has since 2010, has promised $0.05 for every instance.
Plus, the day – and its massive Bell media push – lets those who struggle with mental illness know they're not alone.
"The best part of being one of the friends of Bell Let's Talk is that I've seen first-hand that talking works," said Beth Beattie in the official release on Wednesday. She appears in this year's Bell Let's Talk Day awareness campaign. "Many people have reached out to me to share stories of mental health challenges whether their own or those of a family member or friend. And I've learned of people seeking the help they need because they've heard my story or the stories of other friends of Bell Let's Talk. Being on the Bell Let's Talk team has been immensely rewarding and empowering. Let's keep this conversation going today and make it a new record setter!"
The 2018 Bell Let's Talk Day awareness campaign shone a spotlight on the personal stories of Canadians of all ages from all walks of life and every corner of the country who are living with mental illness or providing support for those who do. This diverse group came together to share their personal stories of struggle, recovery and support with everyone in the country, offering their lived experience to encourage everyone to talk openly about mental illness.
Every text message, mobile and long distance call made by Bell Canada, Bell Aliant and Bell MTS customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk including a Bell Let's Talk emoji and Bell Let's Talk Day video view, every view of the Bell Let's Talk Day video at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk and use of the Bell Let's Talk frame, every Bell Let's Talk Day video view on Instagram and every use of the Bell Let's Talk filter and video view on Snapchat counted 5 cents each.
It was a busy day for Bell – and here are just a handful of the many events which happened Wednesday:
- The Social's Marci Ien hosted In Their Own Words, a one-hour primetime event at 7 pm on CTV and CTV Two, which featured stories from a diverse group of Canadians living with mental health challenges.
- Following that, Marci Ien, Bell Let's Talk Chair Mary Deacon and Dr. David Goldbloom participated in a live Facebook event.
- 130 universities and colleges around the country hosted 200 events and varsity games to encourage the campus mental health conversation.
- Business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal took part in a panel discussion about mental health in the workplace from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth.
- In partnership with Hot Docs and Workman Arts, a special free screening of Michael Landsberg's documentary Darkness and Hope: Depression, Sports and Me took place at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.
- A full day of programming at the National Music Centre in Calgary included a mental health exhibition featuring regional community partners, specialty tours, music and presentations.
Five simple ways to fight the stigma around mental illness include remembering
- Language matters – pay attention to the words you use about mental illness
- Educate yourself – learn, know and talk more, understand the signs
- Be kind – small acts of kindness speak a lot
- Listen and ask – sometimes it's best to just listen
- Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence
