Lynn Keane’s Keynote Address Inspires Hope, Understanding and Meaningful Action, Event Raises $65,000 for St. Joe’s

October 4, 2023

Lynn Keane’s Keynote Address Inspires Hope, Understanding and Meaningful Action, Event Raises $65,000 for St. Joe’s Mental Health and Addictions Programs

Thank you to everyone who joined us earlier today for A Mental Health Morning – presented by ArcelorMittal Dofasco. With thanks to the support of our guests, sponsors and speakers, today’s event raised $65,000 for mental health and addictions care at St. Joe’s.

This year’s event featured author, tri-athlete and former broadcast journalist, Lynn Keane, sharing her story of love, loss, understanding and resilience following the death of her son, Daniel, by suicide in 2009. We are so grateful to Lynn for courageously sharing Daniel’s story with us and urging our community to continue having these open conversations, to reduce the stigma around mood disorders and spark hope for those struggling with mental illness.

Thank you to our Mental Health and Addictions team who were on-site at the event to provide support and resources for those in need. To access mental health information and resources, please visit the Hospital’s website.

Our Foundation would also like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2023 Spirit of Hope Award winners. Each year, these awards honour the individuals and organizations in our community who are making impactful contributions to the fields of mental health and addictions care and research, or those who are actively working to reduce the stigma and shame that too often surrounds mental illness and substance use. This year’s winners are:

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The Rapid Intervention and Support Team (Organization Category)

The Rapid Intervention and Support Team (RIST) is a multi-disciplinary outreach team of experts from the community who work together in a team-led setting to provide resources and support to the most complex and marginalized individuals in the City of Hamilton. This team was piloted in the summer of 2022 to help police and paramedics better support those living in encampments, sleeping rough, transitioning in and out of shelters, or struggling to access services in the City of Hamilton. The RIST team is comprised of professionals and care providers from organizations across the city. Working together, they aim to support those living with severe and persistent addiction and mental health concerns by helping to provide for their basic needs, navigate complex social service and healthcare systems, and refer them to the support agencies across the community.

Tom Varley (Individual Category)

Tom is the Manager of Colours Café – a coffee shop and eatery located within the Margaret & Charles Juravinski Centre for Integrated Healthcare at St. Joseph’s West 5th Campus. Tom is an employee of Rainbow’s End, a registered charity that operates a series of enterprises aimed at reducing the stigma around mental illness by providing impacted people with an opportunity to work, learn and feel valued. In 2014, Tom started working at Colours Café as a team member, but quickly moved up taking on more senior roles and increased responsibilities. In 2019, Tom was promoted to Manager of Colours Café. He now oversees a team of 10 employees who were interviewed and hired by him. 80 percent of the team at Colours Café, including Tom, also have lived experience with mental illness. In addition to leading the café through the challenging trials of COVID-19, Tom is committed to providing his employees with meaningful employment, he is patient when teaching new skills, and offers financial security to those who are recovering from mental illness. Tom doesn’t just provide a job, he offers renewed confidence and HOPE.

Alex Schulz (Youth Category)

Alex is a member of the Youth Council at St. Joseph’s Youth Wellness Centre. There, they actively use their lived experience to help other youth who are struggling and support them in navigating the complex healthcare system. In addition to volunteering to help with numerous events for YWC clients and staff, Alex was instrumental to the relaunch of the S.A.D. Club (which had been on a pandemic-related hiatus) to provide bi-weekly sessions aimed at supporting those experiencing seasonal affective disorder. Alex has also assisted with planning and facilitating a new program at the YWC called SAGE – Support Around Gender Experience. Alex helps to create a safe space for gender-diverse youth to explore and affirm their identities within a program that can also provide customized mental health and substance use support to LGBTQAi2+ youth. Alex’s commitment to caring for others is not only exemplified through their contributions at the Youth Wellness Centre, they have also provided care to countless individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities as a Personal Support Worker. This fall, they are returning to school, having enrolled in the Social Service Worker Program at Mohawk College. Alex is passionate about helping the under-served in our community, and is committed to giving a voice to those who often may not have one.

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Breakfast Sponsor

Keynote Speaker Sponsor

Michael & Laura Paletta

Spirit of Hope Award Sponsors

Print Sponsor

Supporter Sponsors

Corporate Table Sponsors

Cahill Electric Inc.
Good Shepherd
IG Wealth Management
Hamilton Paramedic Service
Hamilton Police Service
McMaster University – Faculty of Health Sciences
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO)
Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton
The Research Insititute of St. Joe’s Hamilton
Scarfone Hawkins LLP
Scleroderma Society of Ontario
Turkstra Lumber Company
Utter Morris Insurance Brokerage
Walters Group

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