Shahroze Rauf | News Editor
Featured Image: Laumann speaks to York student-athletes about mental health in sports. | Courtesy of YFile
Former Canadian Olympian Silken Laumann visited York to speak to student-athletes about the importance of mental health. This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), a chance for Canadians to educate themselves and others on the issues surrounding mental health.
Laumann, Canadian champion in single-sculls rowing, says that her experiences with depression are part of her life; she feels no shame or embarrassment about struggling.
“We know one in four Canadians will struggle with a mental illness in their lifetime, so we need to start talking openly and honestly about our experiences,” said Laumann. “This helps other people open up and ask for help as well as educating people who don’t struggle about how they can support their friends, employees and family members who may be struggling.”
In her memoir Unsinkable, Laumann discussed an accident she had in 1992, 10 weeks leading up to the Olympic Games. As a result, her right leg was shattered, and she was unable to use it anymore.
“Doctors doubted that she would ever row competitively again. But 27 days, five operations and countless hours of gruelling rehabilitation later, Silken was back in her racing shell, ready to pursue her dream,” as posted in a summary of her memoir on Laumann’s official website.
Now a motivational speaker, Laumann spoke of her experiences to students at York at the 2019 Dr. Eric Jackman Lecture and York University Psychology Clinic’s 10th anniversary celebration by the Faculty of Health. She talked about her life and how she was personally affected by her mental health.
“I am not my accomplishments. I am not how I do in school or how many medals I win. I am worth it because I was born. Our worth is not what we achieve. It’s about learning to love ourselves despite our insecurities,” she said.
Retired from rowing, Laumann speaks to various audiences as an inspirational and motivational speaker. She also contributes writing to various publications.
MIAW at large was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association. The week-long event held around Canada hopes to raise awareness about mental health issues and confront the reasons behind the stigma surrounding mental health.
“As we are entering a federal election year, in lieu of our traditional Faces of Mental Illness Reception in Ottawa, we will be engaging with candidates, leaders in mental health care, and Canadians digitally! Connect with us this #MIAW19 by participating in our interactive map, downloadable materials, and on social media,” the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health said in a statement.
Many students feel that engaging in the conversation is vitally important during MIAW.
“It’s important, especially in schools,” says second-year journalism student at Seneca College Devon Clare Banfield. “It’s so often that we push ourselves as students to the brink emotionally and mentally, and I think it’s important to talk about physical health and mental well-being at the same time. I wish more was done about it around campus.”
Jamila Perez-Magtoto DeMesa-Apolinario, another second-year journalism student at Seneca, believes that awareness may not be enough.
“Being aware is one thing but accepting the fact and supporting those who need it, is another. What we need is a chance to contemplate and meditate, reach out to one another, or help someone who needs it,” says DeMesa-Apolinario.
