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11TuesdayMay132014ByNATHALIEHEIBERG-HARRISONSix-timeOlympicmedalistClaraHughesrstvisitedtheMackenzieDeltawhenshecycledtheDempsterHighwayonherhoneymoonmorethan10yearsago.LastweekHughesreturnedtothetownofInuvikbutthistimehergoalwasmuchmorethansimplybikingthehighway-shewantedtostartaconver-sationinthecommunityaboutmentalhealth.AspartofClarasBigRideacross-countrycampaignspon-soredbyBellHugheshasvis-ited45schoolsandspokentomorethan45000peopleaboutmentalhealth.HertourincludedstopsinYellowknifeBehchokoandDettahearlierthismonthwiththehelpofNorthwestelwhichsponsoredtheNorthernpartofthetour.Inuvikmarkedthehalfwaypointofhercampaignwhichwilleventuallytakeherto110communitiesacrossCanadaaspartofBellsLetsTalkcampaignaroundmentalOlympianvisitsNWTtotalkmentalhealthHealthWellnessMentalHealthhealth.Intotalshewillbike12000km.LastTuesdayHughesspoketoapproximately200studentsandcommunitymembersatInuviksEastThreeSecondarySchool.StudentsatMangilalukSchoolinTuktoyaktukandMooseKerrSchoolinAklaviktookpartviawebcast.Hermessagetostudentsendthestigmaofmentalillness.Youhavethestrongestvoiceswhetheryouknowitornot.Youarethefuture-ofyourcommunitiesofyourcul-tureofyourcountryofyourterritoryandwhenyoulearntousethevoiceyouhaveyoucanchangethingsandmakethembetterthantheyeverhavebeenshesaid.Thatswhatthiscampaignisallaboutopeningupthisconversationsothatnobodysuffersinsilence.Hughesspoketostudentsaboutherdadsalcoholismherparentsdivorceandhersisterscontinuingsubstanceabuseandmanic-depressivedisorder.Shespokeofherlackofdisciplineasayouthandhowattheageof13shebegandrinkingandsmokingtonumbthepain.Attheageof16HugheswatchedOlympicspeedskatingforthersttimeandsaidthemo-mentcompletelychangedher.IknewthatswhatIwasgoingtodo.IdidntknowhoworwherebutIknewIwasgoingtodothatshesaid.IfIhadnevermadetheOlym-picsitwouldnthavemattered.ItshiftedthedirectionIwasgoingin.Hughestradeddrugsandal-coholfortrainingandsaidshetriedtobattledepressionbytrainingharderthananyoneelse.Shereturnedfromthe1996OlympicsinAtlantawithtwobronzemedalsinhersum-mersportcyclingbutsaidtheachievementleftherfeel-ingempty.InsideIfeltlikenothing.WithintwomonthsIwasinastateofclinicaldepressionshesaid.LuckilyHugheswassur-roundedbypeoplewhocaredforandsupportedherandshenallyacceptedprofes-sionalhelp.SheencouragedInuvikyouthtondthecouragetospeakoutandtoldthemtheyarenotaloneintheirstruggles.WhatIcantemphasizeenoughisyourconnectiontothelandshesaidinclosing.Inthesouthwedonthavethisconnectiontothelandandthatissuchasourceofpower.Itsalsoasourceofstrength.Donteverunderestimatethat.OlympianClaraHughesispresentedwithaDempster-safehelmetduringhervisittoEastThreeSecondarySchoolinInuvik.PhotosBillBradenandNathalieHeiberg-HarrisonAsix-timemedalistHughesissurroundedbyyouthinDettahwheresheofferedtosharehermedalswiththem.HugheswastheguestofhonouratacommunitygatheringinDettahthatincludedapresentationfromtheOlympianandacariboustewfeastlastMonday.DettahwasoneofseveralstopsonClarasBigRidetoraiseawarenessofmentalhealth.HugheschatswithaDettahyouthwhodonnedoneofherOlympicmedals.Whenyoulearntousethevoiceyouhaveyoucanchangethingsandmakethembetterthantheyeverhavebeen.ClaraHughesJefferyAmosaresolutionsupporthealthworkerwiththeInuvialuitRegionalCorp.wasaskedtospeakalongsideHughes.Hestressedtheimportanceofseekinghelpformentalhealthissuesnotingthatmen-talhealthandsuicideoftengohandinhand.WehavethehighestsuicideratepercapitaintheNWThesaid.Mentalhealthissome-thingweshouldntbeafraidtotalkabout.Amoscomparedmentalill-nesstothecommoncoldex-plainingthatitcanhappentoanybodywhetheryourerichorpooryoungoroldhealthyorunhealthy.Yourenotimmunehesaid.Heencouragedstudentstoseekhelpeitherbytalkingwiththeschoolscounsellorsfam-ilycounsellorsworkerswithhealthandsocialservicesorpeopleathisownofce.AcommunityfeastwasheldtheeveningafterHughestalkatEastThreeSecondarySchooltoallowcommunitymemberstohearhermes-sageaswell.Inaspeechtotheapproxi-mately100communitymem-bersinattendanceInuvikBootLakeMLAAlfredMosessaidhewasgladsomethingwasbeingdonecountrywidetopromotementalwellness.AschairoftheStandingCommitteeonSocialPro-gramshesaiditwasaprioritytomakeconcretechangestotheMentalHealthActduringthe17thLegislativeAssembly.Therehavebeennochangestotheactsince1987hesaid.Hopefullywegetlesspeoplefallingthroughthecracksandlesspeopleinneedhesaid.AfterhervisitinInuvikHughesheadeddowntheDempsterHighwaytospeakatChiefJuliusSchoolinFortMcPherson.SheplanstobiketheentiretyoftheDempsterHighwayandisscheduledtoarriveinWhite-horseonMay12.IreallyfeltlikewehadtodosomethingepictorespecttheNorthshesaidofherjourneyfromInuviktoWhitehorse.