Mindcheck.ca (http://mindcheck.ca/) is the culmination of a three-tiered project to recognize symptoms and better understand the challenges of mental illness. Kevin Bieksa is hopeful it will have one positive result to remember fallen teammate Rick Rypien in the most positive light (http://mindcheck.ca/quiet-hero).
Mindcheck was created in order to assist young people to identify and understand mental distress they may be experiencing and to link them to sources of help that will enable them to learn skills and strategies to manage these problems. Being able to recognize early signs and finding ways to deal with them increases the chances of better long-term outcomes and positive mental health across the lifespan.
The Canucks for Kids Foundation, Fraser Health and Provincial Health Services Authority and BC Children’s Hospital worked in conjunction to re-launch the expanded website on January 21st and Bieksa’s participation is the blueliner’s best means to remember his close friend. Rypien, who had long battled depression, was found dead Aug. 15 in his Alberta home.
“I obviously have a personal interest invested in this and it’s near and dear to my heart to carry on his legacy,” said Bieksa. “I went through it with him the last few years and understand the struggles and mental health challenges and how underestimated it can be and how overlooked, too. There’s still not a lot of conversation out there and we’re trying to raise awareness and erase the stigma associated with it. Hopefully, we don’t have to see anybody else go through something like that.”
