Cross Canada Run

Jay and I had a little celebration of the anniversary of this run which began in Newfoundland on May 23rd last year. That’s right, it has been a long, exciting journey and I feel that I have been on the road forever!

While waiting for me to finish my run one day, Jay met someone whose husband has been taken antidepressant medications for over 30 years and whose son committed suicide at the age of 21 due to depression! When the lady found out why Jay was lingering the parking lot, she gave him a hug. Upon learning about the story, I was saddened by the unfortunate events that happened to this person’s family, which reminded me of the fact that these tragedies are very preventable. If we are as aware of the symptoms of mental illness as we are with physical illness then we can hopefully catch the illness before it becomes worse; If we could remove the stigma attached to mental illness then hopefully it would encourage patients to seek professional help at the first sign of trouble; If we all speak up about mental health then hopefully it will lead to patients receiving the best treatments for their illness. It only makes sense that people with an illness, physical or mental, receive the best treatment and nothing less!

The lady’s story initiated a discussion between Jay and me of treatment options for mental illness. I personally believe that medications can be beneficial to some patients with mental illness, perhaps only temporarily, but I do not support their long term use. However, anyone who is thinking about altering their medication dosage should consult their doctor to work out a plan. As you probably know, I am a firm believer in the benefits of physical exercises against mental illness as physical exercises have helped me deal with my anxiety symptoms and I believe they can benefit many others as well. Physical exercises are natural to us and can typically lead to biological effects that strengthen our body and mind against mental illness. Ultimately, I believe that consistent psychotherapy is very important for most patients of mental illness, perhaps to get to the root cause in some cases. Essentially, I support a multimodal approach where the best result is likely achievable with a combination of the treatment options. The bottom line is that patients of mental illness should get as much information as possible about their treatment options so that they can become an active participant in the treatment process, thus hopefully will lead to better treatment outcomes.

Jay got good media coverage for the cause in Kamloops, BC which included newspaper, radio and TV. We also visited the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) drop-in centre in Kamloops and spoke with a group of mental health patients who made good use of the resources at the vibrant centre. I was motivated by my conversations with the folks there who strongly supported the cause and some of them also shared their experience with the illnesses. I told Christa, the program manager at CMHA Kamloops, that I really enjoyed my visit as I felt the positive energy there as soon as I stepped inside. Instead of focusing on the illness, Christa explained to me that their goal is to help the patients focus on who they are as a person and the positive things that they like to do. I like that approach a lot and feel that Christa and her colleagues are doing a wonderful job at it.

We continue to come across nice folks at campgrounds who support this cause by providing us complimentary stays. The kind people encountered recently include: Greg at the Pierre’s Point Campground, who have battled these illnesses in the past and spoke passionately about the issues; Ken at the Alpiner Motel Restaurant & Campground; Elson at the Knutsford RV Campground; and Rosemary at the Claybanks RV Park in Merritt.

Total distance ran: 7870 km
Current location: Merritt, BC

Upcoming Schedule:
May 31 Hope
June 3 Abbotsford
June 4 Langley
June 5 Coquitlam, Burnaby & Surrey
June 6 – 7 Vancouver
June 8 – 10 Richmond
June 11 Victoria