Clara Hughes rides into town today – 86 days into her 110 day journey across every province and territory – delivering the message that Canadian’s need to start talking openly about mental illness.

Here’s hoping that this extraordinary physical challenge has the same impact on mental health that Terry Fox‘s run has had on cancer research. That it provides a means and opportunity to keep the conversation about mental health going and results in meaningful change.

Michael Wilson, the former finance minister whose son Cameron suffered from depression and took his own life in 1995, and who himself has done so much for mental health, has talked often about the need to normalize mental illness.

“People should be as comfortable talking about mental illness as they are talking about heart disease or diabetes. If we can bring mental illness into the open, maybe we can avoid some of these tragedies,” Michael says.

At least 1 in 5 Canadians will struggle with a mental illness in their lifetimes – and 2 out of 3 won’t seek the help they need because of the stigma surrounding the disease. The beliefs that people hold regarding mental health and addictions can make them reluctant to seek help, to admit that they have a problem, or to tell family members or friends. When they do seek help, they sometimes experience stigma from the very health professionals who are supposed to treat them

 All of the data suggests that reducing stigma and increasing the general public’s awareness and knowledge of mental health and addictions issues could result in people seeking help sooner, and improving the quality of their lives.

 “We are social beings who need one another. We need to talk about what ails us, or what’s on our minds, but many still can’t when the illness is a mental one, and the loneliness of that can be a killer” (Christie Blatchford)

I have often reflected on the fact that if Jordan’s issue had been a brain tumor instead of an alteration in his brain chemistry, how very different his path would have been. The system would have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to save his life. He would have had access to numerous specialists and treatments. His friends might have shaved their heads in support, or run a marathon, or simply stood by and understood that he couldn’t help his odd behavior. It was the disease’s fault.

As a society, we have spent millions of dollars on cancer; in research, on treatment and drugs and in ribbons and armbands. Don’t misunderstand me, cancer has touched my family directly and I have lost people dear to me to cancer. I know too well the suffering of those parents who despite heroic efforts paid the ultimate price in the loss of their child to this horrible disease.

I am simply asking for what Clara is asking for. A broader conversation. A normalizing of mental illness. A recognition that my child, and yours, deserved heroic efforts too.

So I will be attending the “Mindful Evening” event tonight, wearing my “Clara’s Big Ride” tshirt and listening with admiration to this heroic woman speak about her ongoing struggle with depression. I will likely shed a few tears about the fact that this conversation is occurring too late to save my son, but I continue to hope that telling his story makes the conversation richer and will lead to a better future for all the other Jordans out there.