SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The waiting room in the arrivals section of the Yellowknife Airport was filled with cheering and excitement on Saturday afternoon as Clara Hughes, six-time Canadian Olympic medalist in cycling and speedskating, walked through the gate.

Olympian Clara Hughes talks about the Bell Let's Talk campaign and her ride across the country raising awareness and promoting discussion about mental health and illness. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo

Hughes touched down in Yellowknife via a charter flight from Rankin Inlet, bringing her awareness campaign -- Clara's Big Ride, part of Bell's Let's Talk campaign to raise funds for mental health research -- to the NWT.

She was in Yellowknife to spread her message about removing the stigma surrounding mental illness and promoting discussion about it, a campaign that involves her bicycling 12,000 km across Canada in 110 days with 95 community stops.

"It has been an amazing journey to not just share but to listen, to find out what mental health means to Canadians," Hughes told the audience at the airport. "It's all about elevating the conversation about mental health."

Peter Theissen, a mental health counselor and Hughes' community champion – or contact between Bell, Northwestel and community organizations such as schools – explained to Yellowknifer why he got involved with the campaign and helped organize Hughes' visit to Yellowknife.

"The initiatives that she goes for in terms of destigmatization and increasing awareness, keeping the conversation going that's all that we ask for," said Theissen.

"For me, it's a nice chance to be a part of something that is well-recognized in the area of mental health."

After spending time in Yellowknife, Behchoko and Dettah, Hughes left for Inuvik Tuesday morning to start a trip along the Dempster Highway this morning, headed for Dawson City, Yukon.

"We wanted to really show respect to the North, so riding the Dempster (Highway) is showing that respect and visiting as many schools in as many communities is what the ride's all about," Hughes said.

"I love it up here, but I also have seen, and people have shared with me, the struggle of living in isolated places, the cultural difficulties as well for everyone."

'It's not close to home, it is my home'

Hughes first became involved in Bell's Let's Talk campaign, which the Big Ride is associated with, after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

"I realized after the Vancouver Olympics, I had a chance to be part of the campaign and I asked to be a part of it because I thought maybe I could help," said Hughes.

"It's important to me because I went through depression as a young athlete, but it's also a family experience. It's something that is my home -- it's not close to home, it is my home."

Hughes said her sister has been struggling with bipolar disorder for 24 years, and her father also struggled with addiction.

"I wasn't able to talk about my sister (when she became involved in the campaign) and since then, she's given me permission to talk about her struggle, and say that not only has she struggled, she is struggling," said Hughes.

Embracing the bad with the good

At the airport, Hughes told reporters she understands that many things in the NWT and in Canada regarding mental health care need to change.

"There's amazing stuff everywhere, but there's also big gaps everywhere, so we want to highlight that as well," said Hughes.

When told that the GNWT does not cover the price of depression medication unless a connected health issue such as diabetes exists in a patient, Hughes frowned.

"It's a shame. There are a lot of things that need to change in the system of mental health, here and in all of Canada," said Hughes.

She said that throughout her campaign, there have been messages of hope, or success, but also darker and sadder messages about those struggling with mental illness. Hughes said the more difficult stories are just as important as the positive ones.

"We're told that life is about everything being good, big and happy and that is not reality," she said. "That is not being human. There is a whole lot of struggle, and we need to start talking about that and realize everyone is effected."