Tomorrow is Bell Let's Talk Day 2016!

• Clara Hughes and team invite you to add your voice to the sixth annual Bell Let's Talk Day tomorrow, January 27
• Clara, Serena Ryder, Étienne Boulay, Marie-Soleil Dion, Michael Landsberg, Howie Mandel, Michel Mpambara, Stefie Shock and Mary Walsh will talk about mental health at media locations across the country
• Tomorrow, please talk, text and tweet about mental health to help build a stigma-free Canada – and drive Bell's donations to mental health just by participating
• Learn the 5 simple ways to help end the stigma around mental illness
• Please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to learn more about Bell Let's Talk events and download the toolkit

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 26, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The sixth annual Bell Let's Talk Day takes place tomorrow, January 27, with Canadian Olympian and national spokesperson Clara Hughes leading the campaign inviting everyone to talk, text, tweet and share in the conversation about Canada's mental health – driving Bell donations to the cause at no extra charge to you.

"Tomorrow is a day I think about all year round: Bell Let's Talk Day, when we spike the conversation about mental health to keep us moving past the stigma toward acceptance and action. And it's also the day when your calls and messages drive up Bell's donations to mental health programs all year round!" said Clara, Canada's 6-time Olympic medalist and national Bell Let's Talk spokesperson since the launch of the initiative in 2010. "Tomorrow, please call a friend and talk about mental health. Or listen to our awesome spokespeople share their stories. Send a text. Tell people about the 5 simple ways to fight the stigma. Visit the Bell Let's Talk website, you'll find a lot there. Come to an event. Watch an expert talk about the progress being made. Tweet me!"

"Whatever you do to join in, I'm so happy and grateful that you, Canadians everywhere, and people around the world will be sending a loud and clear message that we care about all those who struggle and we're ready to help. Remember, your calls and messages each mean 5 cents more for the mental health cause at no extra charge to you. Last year, we passed 122 million interactions on a single day, and Bell donated $6 million more. This year, with you, me and everyone else we know getting together on this, I think we can set a new record!"

The 2016 Bell Let's Talk team
Joining Clara and Bell Let's Talk Chair Mary Deacon on the Bell Let's Talk team are TSN host Michael Landsberg, comedian Howie Mandel, entertainer Mary Walsh, Québec personalities Stefie Shock and Michel Mpambara, and – new to the team for 2016 – singer-songwriter Serena Ryder, actor Marie-Soleil Dion and retired CFL player Étienne Boulay.

Bell Let's Talk ambassadors professional golfer Andrew Jensen, comedian and writer Kevin Breel, CFL veteran Shea Emry, and musician Robb Nash return to the team again this year, sharing their own mental health stories and welcoming Canadians to the conversation. Bell Let's Talk also welcomes two more new voices this year, Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock and singer-songwriter Séan McCann.

Drive Bell's donations to mental health programs
On Bell Let's Talk Day, for every text message, wireless and long distance call made by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of tomorrow's Bell Let's Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents more to Canadian mental health programs.

Bell's donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let's Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges, if any, apply. To learn more about the campaign, or to download the Bell Let's Talk toolkit and help get the conversation started, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Thanks to the response on Bell Let's Talk Day 2015, Bell committed a further $6,107,538.60 in funding for Canadian mental health – bringing the Bell Let's Talk total to $73,623,413.80.

5 simple ways to fight the stigma around mental illness
The Bell Let's Talk's campaign continues to build on the 5 simple ways to fight the stigma of mental illness developed by Dr. Heather Stuart, the first Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen's University. Learning the 5 ways enables anyone to engage in conversations about mental health in a manner that helps those living with mental illness and its stigma.

• 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

Bell Let's Talk 2016 Highlights January 26 - 27

January 26

Montréal Canadiens Hockey Talks game
Michel Mpambara, Stefie Shock and Étienne Boulay will take part in the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Talks game in support of mental health at the Bell Centre in Montréal. Bell Let's Talk will be featured at the game and Bell Let's Talk bracelets will be available to fans (RDS, 7 30 pm ET).

Ottawa Senators Bell Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Night in support of D.I.F.D (Do It For Daron)
Bell Let's Talk ambassador Séan McCann will join the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres at centre ice for the ceremonial puck drop during the youth mental health awareness night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa (TSN5, 7 30 pm ET).

Toronto Raptors game in support of Bell Let's Talk
Clara Hughes will attend the Toronto Raptors game to discuss Bell Let's Talk and encourage to everyone to join the conversation (TSN1, 7 30 pm ET).

Mary Walsh in Atlantic Canada
Mary will visit Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, and the crew of HMCS Montréal in Halifax. Mary will also visit Laing House at 5 pm ET for their weekly Peer Support Program and present a cheque in support of the program.

January 27

Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston visit Mental Health Services in Canada's Capital Region 
To mark Bell Let's Talk Day, Their Excellencies will visit Lanark County Mental Health in Carleton Place, Ontario and The First Peoples Innovation Centre, in Gatineau, Québec.

The Prime Minister @ The Social: A Bell Let's Talk Day Special
A conversation with Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau will air at 7 pm on CTV, CTV Two, CTV GO and CTV.ca.

Raptors 905 game in support of Bell Let's Talk
Michael Landsberg and Kevin Breel will attend the Raptors 905 game at 11 am ET at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga where 4,000 young people will receive Bell Let's Talk thundersticks.

Canadian Armed Forces mental health awareness event
Bell Let's Talk ambassador Séan McCann will participate in a panel discussion about mental health moderated by Kevin Newman at CFB Petawawa at 1 pm ET.

Vancouver Board of Trade Bell Let's Talk webinar
Bell Let's Talk ambassador Andrew Jensen will participate in a webinar about mental health at 10 am PT.

Mary Walsh in Atlantic Canada
Mary will meet with staff at the IWK Health Centre to talk about mental health and promote the campaign. Along with Halifax Mayor, Mike Savage, Mary will drop the puck during the opening ceremonies for the Bell Let's Talk AUS men's hockey game – Saint Mary's Huskies visit the Dalhousie Tigers at the Halifax Forum at 7 pm AT.

Atlantic University Sport games in support of Bell Let's Talk
In addition to the Huskies-Tigers game, 3 more AUS hockey games will feature Bell Let's Talk:

• The StFX X-Men visit the Acadia Axemen in Wolfville at 7 pm AT
• Moncton Aigles Bleus visit the UPEI Panthers in Charlottetown at 7 pm AT
• The St. Thomas Tommies visit the UNB Varsity Reds in Fredericton at 7 pm AT

All 4 AUS hockey games on Bell Let's Talk Day will air on Bell Aliant FibreOP TV 1.

Bell Let's Talk Community Fund
The annual Bell Let's Talk Community Fund supports organizations focused on improving access to programs and services to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people living with mental health issues from coast to coast to coast. Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Bell Let's Talk Community Fund. The 2016 application period is open until March 31 and all 2016 Fund grants will be disbursed before December 31, 2016.

To apply for 2016 funding, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Media inquiries:

Jacqueline Michelis
613 785-1427
[email protected]
@Bell_News

SOURCE Bell Let's Talk