Hundreds of cyclists shifted into gear to put mental health in the spotlight Sunday.
More than 200 riders in Victoria took part in the Canadian Mental Health Association’s ‘Ride Don’t Hide.’
It was the third year for the charity bike ride in the capital city.
Organizers said they doubled the number of participants over last year and doubled the money raised to $60,000.
“I think what it means is people are starting to talk about mental health and get out and really see the importance of this event,” the association’s Jocelyn Demontmorency said.
Olympic medallist Gillian Carleton was one of the celebrity participants.
She said the event is very close to her heart.
The former track-cycling Olympian told CTV News she suffered with severe depression during her time as a professional athlete.
“When I first started talking about it, it wasn’t the kind of thing you spoke about openly in professional sports. I found it really interesting that it’s something so many of us deal with,” Carleton said. “One in five Canadians are going to struggle with mental illness every year. It’s really important that we as a community kind of work together to eliminate that stigma and work together to talk more openly about it because it shouldn’t be something that’s hidden.”
Carleton said she hoped by promoting the event, it would show others that mental health issues can be discussed.
