Why I Ride for Mental Health – CMHA Hope in Motion
Riding Toward Something Bigger
Every year, I show up for CMHA’s Hope in Motion. Not for a medal. Not for the miles. But for the meaning.
Hope in Motion, formerly known as Ride Don’t Hide, is CMHA Peel Dufferin’s largest annual fundraising event—bringing people together to bike, walk, or roll through mental health awareness. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure experience that makes space for healing on your terms—whether that’s in-person or virtual.
This year, it’s happening on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at the Jim Archdekin Recreation Centre in Brampton, with route options ranging from 5km to 100km. There’s something for every pace and every person.
As someone living with bipolar disorder, I know what it’s like to feel invisible. I know what it’s like to carry pain that no one else can see. And I know how powerful it is when someone simply shows up anyway—with you, for you, beside you.
This ride is my way of doing that for others.
Movement Is Medicine
There’s something healing about motion. The rhythm of the pedals. The feel of air on your face. The quiet clarity that comes when your body is in motion and your mind gets a moment to breathe.
Riding has always helped me reconnect.
To my breath. To my strength. To my story.
That’s why Hope in Motion means so much. It turns solitary struggles into something shared. It reminds us we’re not broken—we’re in progress. And we don’t have to do it alone.
Visibility Changes Everything
We ride for the ones who are still silent. For the ones who can’t yet say, “I’m struggling.” We ride to be seen—and to help others feel seen, too.
Because when we talk about mental health in broad daylight, we chip away at the shame. We make room for stories. We build community.
And that visibility? It saves lives.
Join the Movement
🗓 Date: Sunday, June 1, 2025
📍 Location: Jim Archdekin Recreation Centre, 292 Conestoga Dr, Brampton
🚴♀️ Routes: 5km, 14km, 25km, 50km, 100km
🎟 Registration Includes: Lunch, snacks, entertainment (plus a shirt for adults & students)
💵 $70 for Adults | $40 for Students | $20 for Kids (ages 2–12)
Whether you ride in person, donate online, or simply share a post—you’re part of the movement. If you’ve ever wanted to support mental health in a way that feels personal, meaningful, and connected—this is your chance.
Feel Free to Ride Beside Me
You don’t have to ride far. You just have to care. 💜
Every step, every pedal, every share helps build a world where no one has to struggle in silence.
I’ll be riding this June, and I’d love for you to be part of it.
Crystal Ball Reflection
We don’t need perfect words or perfect plans.
We just need the courage to show up.
Even a short ride can carry a big message:
You are not alone.
With empathy,
Shak
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SHAK TODAY
Shak is pursuing his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) and will start his practicum in January. He's involved with the Canadian Mental Health Association and he's working on turning his blog, Bipolar Empath, into a book while managing his accounting business.
Stay tuned for more updates on Shak’s journey and the impact he continues to make in the mental health community!
