Bell Let's Talk and Athletes: Stories, Support, and Breaking the Stigma

Written by Keyara Nelson

Thumbnail and Banner Photo by CNW Group at Bell Canada

The Bell Let’s Talk  movement is a campaign created by the telecommunications company, Bell Canada, that aims to bring awareness, acceptance, and action for mental health in Canada. The campaign is a year-long initiative, but on Bell Let's Talk Day Canadians can donate $5 by text and 100% proceeds will go to six various youth mental health providers; Bell will even match all $5 donations up to a total of $1 million. Since its creation in 2010, the movement has skyrocketed in popularity throughout the country and does not show any signs of slowing down. On the inaugural Bell Let's Talk Day in 2011, 66 million calls, texts, and tweets generated a $3.3 million donation from Canada's largest communications company to support mental health initiatives, with each interaction valued at five cents. In 2018, only 8 years later, Bell recorded over 138 million interactions across smartphones and social media platforms. This boosted their donation to $6.9 million —an increase of 5% from the previous year and more than double the amount raised in 2011.

Within its 15 year existence, Bell Let’s Talk has collaborated with over 1,500 organizations across Canada, including hospitals, universities, community service providers, and research institutions, to offer mental health support and services; the level of positive impact that spurred from this campaign could not have possibly been predicted, making it one of the most successful mental health initiatives in the country. 

Athletes Break Silence

Athletes, often under immense pressure, have adopted this campaign as a means of sharing their own mental health journeys, fostering a more open and supportive environment. Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes shared her battle with depression and made it her mission to spark change in 2014 with "Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let’s Talk." She collaborated with Bell Let’s Talk and cycled an incredible 12,000 kilometers across Canada, spreading the message of mental health awareness and inspiring countless people along the way. Throughout the sports world, many athletes have come forward  to express their own struggles with mental health. Athletes like Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, Kevin Love, and Dak Prescott have all come forward to share their experiences with mental health, and there are countless more who have also spoken up. Prominent athletes have been instrumental in bringing mental health issues to the forefront, though this realm is also dominated by the student-athlete population as well. In 2017, there were 20,000 student-athletes from four university sports conferences partnered with Bell Let's Talk to promote mental health awareness and positivity, and that number has only grown since. 

Photo by  CNW Group at Bell Aliant Inc.

Organizational Support

Sports organizations across Canada have embraced the Bell Let's Talk movement. The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), for example, encourages open conversations about mental health, aiming to foster empathy and understanding among athletes and fans. The Atlantic University Sport (AUS) league, which is the league our varsity athletes play within, has also joined the conversation. AUS has shared their voices through multiple student-athletes across 11 atlantic universities in order to end the stigma around mental illness. Another organization is the Canadian Football League (CFL), which has taken multiple steps to  integrate mental health awareness into its team culture and public events. Some of these steps include players becoming ambassadors for suicide prevention groups, discussing mental health on podcasts, and having open conversations  about their own experiences on social media. Organizations such as these promote a supportive atmosphere where athletes feel safe discussing their mental health, helping to break down the stigma often associated with mental health challenges in sports.

Photo by Kara Maclean (photo taken by my friend at the event)

SMU and Mental Health Initiatives

Saint Mary's University (SMU) has not ignored the need for strong mental health initiatives, actively joining the cause through its involvement in the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. As part of its participation in the campaign, SMU has organized events, financial awards, and media awareness to encourage conversations about mental health among students and provide help. The university also offers mental health resources through its Counselling Centre, emphasizing the importance of balance and well-being both for students and student-athletes. Recently, an event organized by the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative, the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health and Cam’s Kids Foundation was hosted in collaboration with Bell Let’s Talk, where varsity athletes were invited to decorate cookies and promote mental health awareness. The results were outstanding, as student-athletes from various sports teams arrived and wrote down their words of encouragement to those struggling with mental health. The future is bright for mental health at SMU, as more events continue to pop up that promote mental health and wellness. If you are interested in learning more, keep an eye on the event page, and follow Cam's Kids Saint Marys on Instagram.

An Ongoing Conversation

This year, Bell Let’s Talk Day fell on the 22nd of January, but simply because this day has passed does not mean that the conversation has ended. Bell Let's Talk Day serves as a significant milestone, but this discussion must continue year-round. The collaboration between Bell Let's Talk and the sports community has been pivotal in destigmatizing mental health issues, and it will be for the future as well. Though some people feel as though Bell Canada is using mental health as a marketing tactic, the positive impact made by this organization is ultimately undeniable. There are still steps to be taken by Bell, such as acknowledging the differences in available resources for mental health between varying demographics, or ensuring their own employees' mental health is being supported. With $20 million in Community Fund grants supporting mental health initiatives, over $9 million dedicated to culturally specific mental health programs (including more than $5.4 million for Indigenous communities), and $5 million allocated to student mental health programs alone, it's clear that Bell Let’s Talk is making a significant positive impact on society.