Concordia Psychology students walk for mental health

The Concordia Undergraduate Psychology Association (CUPA) took part in Montreal’s Walks for Mental Illness for the first time on Sunday Oct. 20.

Over 1,000 people were present at the 5 KM-long walk, including two executives of CUPA. Both CUPA President Janice La Giorgia and CUPA Vice President of Internal Stacy Pollack took part in the walk. Before the walk, many people spoke to the crowd of their past history of mental illness, including Montreal Alouettes player Shea Emry and actress Veronique Bannon. The walk began at around 11 a.m. in Philips Square.

According to La Giorgia, the walk was a success. “I am very happy with how the walk turned out,” she said. “This year was the 5th year [of the walk], and there’s increasingly more people aware of it, and who join.”

According to the Montreal Walks for Mental Health website, the aim of the walk is to increase public awareness of mental health, and to stop both stigma and discrimination towards those who are living with mental illness, and those who support them

“… I knew that it would be terrific for CUPA to walk to represent Concordia Psychology students, a new generation of psychology majors who don’t believe in stigma and want to lift the taboos. In general, CUPA attended the Walk to promote awareness, and raise funds,” La Giorgia said. “It’s the first year we take part in the Walk and I sincerely hope that this will continue in the future. I will make sure next year’s executive will have all my contacts to be able to participate. I can see this event evolving from year to year, and becoming bigger.”

For more information on the Montreal Walk for Mental Health, visit mtlmarche.com. For more information on CUPA, visit them on the CUPA Concordia Facebook page

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