Tokyo 2020 hopeful Haley Smith shares her story for Bell Let’s Talk Day 2021
TORONTO (January 28, 2021) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) remains committed to reducing the stigma around mental illness. As a proud partner of Bell and in support of Bell Let’s Talk Day 2021, the COC is honoured to share the story of Tokyo 2020 hopeful Haley Smith about her personal battles with mental illness.
Smith, a member of the national mountain bike team since 2011, has shared her struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder in the past. In a first-person article written for olympic.ca, the Uxbridge, Ont. native, opens up about how the pandemic triggered old, unhealthy habits and thought patterns that she believed she had previously overcome and her ongoing journey with mental health.
Read Haley’s captivating POV: My relationship with mental illness is still active.
“As the world collectively deals with the toll of the pandemic, now more than ever it is important to have open and honest conversations about mental health. By sharing her story, Haley is helping to de-stigmatize mental illness and remind us all that it’s okay to open up about our own struggles,” said COC CEO and Secretary General, David Shoemaker. “The COC is proud to support the Bell Let’s Talk program and the ongoing effort to continue the conversation.”
Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Everyone is invited to take part in the mental health conversation. You can use a wide range of communications platforms to join in – and directly drive Bell’s donations to Canadian mental health programs simply by participating.
Bell will donate 5 cents today to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk, every Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. All at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access.
Bell Let’s Talk promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Josh Su
Public Relations
C: 647-464-4060
E: jsu@olympic.ca