With a large gift from the Bannister Family, Liam’s Lunar Monkey’s takes top honours for Ride Don’t Hide, raising over $31,000

In the week following the outstanding Ride Don’t Hide event on June 25th that saw local fundraising goal doubled, we saw yet again the amazing generosity and support for mental health with a $12,000 gift from the Bannister Family in support on Liam’s Lunar Monkey’s. This generous gift catapulted the team to 1st place as the top fundraising team in Canada for Ride Don’t Hide 2017. The new fundraising total for the event is now almost triple the original goal of $20,000 to over $58,000!

Liam’s Lunar Monkey’s raised over $31,000 in memory of Liam Hack who died by suicide last year. “Our family is so touched to see how the community has come out to support mental health in honour of Liam. We wanted to share our story to create the discussion about youth suicide in our community and continue to help break down the stigma. It is our hope that by sharing our story and raising funds to expand mental health services in our community that we can prevent other families from experiencing a similar loss,” said Liam’s parents, Jay Hack and Sheila Stainton. “We would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support of our family and recognition of the importance of supporting mental health in our community.”

Suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year-olds in BC, after motor vehicle accidents. Suicidal thinking or attempts are also common. A BC survey found that in one year, 5% of youth had made a suicide attempt and 12% seriously thought about suicide. Mental illnesses are also surprisingly common in children and youth. About one in seven young people in BC—or 14%—will experience a mental illness at some point. Many mental illnesses—between 50% and about 70%—show up before the age of 18, so they can have a huge impact on a child’s development.

“It is so important to recognize the importance of youth mental health in our community. We are so grateful for the amazing support for Liam’s Lunar Monkey’s. Funds raised through Ride Don’t Hide stay in our community, allowing CMHA to continue to offer more programs suited to the specific needs in our community,” said, Julia Payson, CMHA Executive Director. “It is because of brave people and families in our community sharing their stories about mental health that we can continue to break down the stigma that prevents people from seeking help. Ride Don’t Hide has been an amazing success this year because people are talking and sharing their stories and taking action to support mental health in our community.”

If you are considering suicide or are concerned about someone who may be call the 24 hour crisis line:

1-888-353-2273

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