This movement advocates for better access to mental health services for the one in three who don’t receive the care they need — a groundswell that challenges stigma and calls for action to improve the lives of Canadians affected by mental illness.

As the flagship event in this movement, CAMH One Brave Night for Mental Health invites Canadians to join the cause and share one night to inspire hope for the one in five people who experience a mental illness in any given year.

How much is a good night’s sleep worth? To Annette Verschuren, more than $125,000.

That’s how much Annette, a CAMH Foundation board member, raised by giving up sleep for a night as part of CAMH’s all-night challenge to defeat mental illness.

“I’m a very action-oriented person, and that’s what I love about CAMH One Brave Night for Mental Health — you have to do something,” says Annette, top fundraiser for the all-night event for the second year in a row. “The challenge gets people involved, and gets them talking about mental health.”

Participants create their own all-night challenge — a board game tournament or all-night dinner party, for example. For her part, Annette enjoyed a quiet movie night with her sister. At dawn, participants post their #sunriseselfie to stand in support of those living with mental illness.

“It may not be so comfortable to stay up all night, but it’s for a great cause and it’s so important to be able to give back,” Annette says.

The challenge attracted thousands of participants and support from corporate partners CIBC (Team Sponsor), Sleep Country Canada (Sleep Pass Sponsor), and Boston Pizza and Cineplex (Rewards). CAMH One Brave Night raised more than $830,000 on May 13.

The event is just one way the community is supporting the highest priority needs of the hospital and spreading awareness about mental illness at the same time. Last year, CAMH welcomed more than 9,000 new Change Agents, who support the CAMH cause through our monthly donor program.

In October, CAMH launched Stop Suicide, a powerful awareness campaign aimed at preventing youth suicide. Through emotional images, the television and digital campaign shared the stories of real people who have lost family members to suicide and invited viewers to become Change Agents themselves.

Dorothy Tennant and Annette Verschuren

Christine Gresham

Ruth Draper and Eric Claus

CAMH Help Stop Suicide.

The Power of Talk.