I’ve covered Michael Schratter’s “Ride Don’t Hide” tour around the world in a previous news segment. It looks like I wasn’t the only one who had taken note of his bicycle tour. The Canadian Mental Health Association has just given its very first Nancy Hall Public Policy Leadership Award to Mr. Schratter. He was flown out to Kelowna, B.C. to receive this new award, where he was praised for providing inspiration to others and for not accepting the stigma around mental illness. Full coverage is available on the Vernon Morning Star, or you can visit Mr. Schratter’s official site at http://www.ridedonthide.com/.
Commentary
I’m really happy to see Mr. Schratter get this kind of recognition for his ride around the world. For those of you who might not be Canadian, Canada has a tradition of this sort of awareness-raising trip since Terry Fox made his run across Canada in the 1980s. While Shcratter is raising money, that isn’t really the most important part of what he is doing. By the amount of press coverage he is getting, more people are learning about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. He’s also encouraging other people with mental illnesses not to be ashamed of their conditions, something that is very important for seeking proper treatment.
Related posts:
- Bipolar Cyclist Michael Schratter Completes World Tour
- Joyce Licht Sang Wins Woman of Distinction Award
- Mind Media Award Nominees Announced
- Margaret Trudeau To Speak on Inclusive Employment in NS
- Was Winston Churchill Bipolar?: BBC
