People are being encouraged to lace up and join the run to support women’s mental health.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington and Shoppers Drug Mart are partnering up to host the 9th Annual Run for Women.
Traditionally a 5 km run or walk and 10 km run taking place in 18 cities across Canada, this year’s event will be hosted virtually from July 4 to July 11. On the final day of the event, the grand finale will be nationally broadcast, featuring 18 different run host cities and each local charity. All participants are invited to this virtual party, says a release about the event.
The registration fee for the run is $45 with all proceeds going toward the CMHA WW. Those who register will receive a “Legendary Swag Bag” worth over $100, offering participants an official Run for Women ‘UNSTOPPABLE’ technical t-shirt and an official Run for Women ‘UNSTOPPABLE’ bracelet.
All interested participants must register before June 25 at runforwomen.ca.
With one in three women affected by mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, the release says this year’s run holds more weight than others for RFW participants due to the pandemic.
Helen Fishburn, CEO of CMHA WW, explains women are experiencing higher rates of mental health issues than men during COVID-19, with more women accessing CMHA WW services.
“Our mission at the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington is to provide a full care system for those with addictions, mental health or developmental needs. Every dollar raised by Run for Women supports mothers, daughters, and friends in our community to take the next step to recovery. Initiatives like Run for Women help our organization deliver programs that provide women with the unique support they need.”
Started in 2013, the RFW has raised approximately $11 million in support of women’s mental health programming in Canada since 2013. Last year, RFW raised over $2.8M for women’s mental health across the country.
