Episode 29: Cycling for Mental Health
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-29-cycling-for-mental-health?si=ed71ce56f0924687bc7731d466d3531e In this episode of the Blue and Goldcast, Santa Ono chats with UBC Okanagan student Mikey Friedland, who has just returned from an epic bicycle ride to the Arctic Ocean to raise funds and awareness of mental health issues. Download the transcript here
Let’s Talk About Mental Health
Mental illness affects every one of us, either directly or through those we love. And it affects people of all ages and walks of life, including members of the UBC community. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canada for those between the ages of 15 and 24, and the second leading cause […]
Statement on Incident Involving UBC Okanagan Student
I was distressed and shocked by the video footage of the RCMP wellness check on Mona Wang. In my earlier statements, I reaffirmed UBC’s commitment to equity and inclusion and my firm belief that diversity is our strength. Every member of our community has a role to play in opposing hatred, oppression, violence and injustice, […]
This is What Hope Looks Like
Third Space Life Charity Willowstone Academy, Kelowna Thank you everybody for being here this evening in support of an issue that is close to my heart: student mental health and wellbeing. This conversation is timely; as you may know, yesterday was Bell Let’s Talk Day. UBC participates in this program, which raises funds for […]
Changing My Mind: Margaret Trudeau on Mental Health
Earlier this month I had the privilege of introducing Margaret Trudeau at a talk she gave in downtown Vancouver on mental health. Trudeau – the former wife of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the mother of the current prime minister, Justin Trudeau – had the audience spellbound as she frankly and courageously described her […]
Welcoming Margaret Trudeau, author of Changing My Mind
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Good evening. When Margaret Trudeau wrote her courageous memoir, Changing My Mind, in 2010, she noted that three million Canadians suffered from serious depression and that only cardiac disease does more damage and draws more dollars from the health care budget than mental illness. Almost a decade later, not much has […]
Episode 8: Mental Health
Emily Jenkins still remembers the basketball coach that changed her life. Now, she’s an assistant professor at UBC’s School of Nursing, and works in youth mental health. Emily joins Santa and Margot to discuss how she wound up in this career, her collaborative work with young people, and how universities can help students and faculty […]
School Community Mental Health Conference 2019 Remarks
Vancouver, BC Thank you, Minister. Happy to be here and to discuss this important topic; one that is important to our country, to UBC, and to me personally. Mental health is a significant issue: one in five Canadians will have a mental health problem or illness this year. It’s a world-wide problem too, with growing […]
Thrive Week at UBC
Today, October 29, marks the beginning of Thrive Week at UBC. Thrive is a mindset and week-long series of events focused on helping UBC students, faculty and staff explore their path to mental health. Over the next five days, Thrive UBC will be hosting many activities to help promote mental health, including mindfulness drop-in sessions, […]
Well-being: Giving the next generation the support they need to thrive
Council of Ministers of Education, Convention Centre, Vancouver BC Thank you, Minister Mark. I would like to acknowledge some of the other post-secondary education leaders from across B.C. in the room today, including Kathy Kinloch from BCIT and Ken Tourand from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. I would also like to acknowledge Karen Ranalleta, […]
Overcoming the stigma
Men in Nursing Conference, Mt. St. Joseph University, Cincinnati Today, I’d like to talk to you about a subject very close to me – the need to overcome the stigma around mental health, especially for young men. I’ll discuss some of the struggles I’ve faced and how – with the help of faith, family and friends […]
Life is a marathon, not a sprint
Sending all students and faculty love during exams. A post shared by Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) on Apr 10, 2018 at 9:28pm PDT The other morning while walking by the UBC Life building, I noticed a young woman sitting at a table, her books and laptop spread in front of her, fast asleep with her […]
Overcoming the stigma of mental illness
Recently I spoke at a TEDx event about the need to support young people struggling with mental health issues. To mark World Mental Health Day, I have decided to adapt my talk into a blog post. Please also see the joint Globe and Mail op-ed piece that University of Toronto Chancellor Michael Wilson and I wrote about […]
Exam anxiety? UBC can help
April in Vancouver can be amazing. The cherry blossoms are in bloom, the days are longer, and the temperature is (most days anyway!) getting warmer. April this year also brings the convergence of three holidays of deep significance to people of different faiths throughout the world: Passover, Vaisakhi and Easter. Whatever you celebrate, I wish […]
Thriving at UBC: Encouraging healthy minds on healthy campuses
Minister Wilkinson, distinguished guests: I am honoured by the opportunity to speak to you today about mental health and how UBC is encouraging healthy minds on healthy campuses, an issue I am personally involved in, as I will explain in a minute. First I am glad CMHA BC is considering endorsing the Okanagan Charter: An International […]