Ryan Langlois has been walking for one hour a day for 30 days carrying a 30 pound backpack to raise money and awareness for mental health in Canada.

He began on September 4, and is hopeful to have members of the community share their story with him. Any pledges he receives will go towards the Canadian Mental Health Association – Central Region.

Executive Director of CMHA Christine Stewart says it’s great for their organization to have people like Langlois representing them.

“It’s hard from an organizational stand point, because people sometimes kind of stick us in the same cubby hole, like we don’t need you, we are fine on our own, which many people are, many people don’t need organizational help. But it’s great of Ryan to say hey, if you do need help this is an organization that can work with you.”

Statistics show that 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. Although it is becoming more common to talk about it, Stewart says there is still more work to be done.

Langlois is carrying a thirty pound backpack to symbolize the suffering of those struggling.

“He is carrying a thirty pound backpack to represent the weight of mental illness that people go through every day, getting up, going to work, living life. It’s just an extra burden that you have to carry, you push through every single day to make things happen, regardless of how you feel.”

The social media campaign he created is called #letswalk and is aimed to help create a community for those that are currently struggling with mental illness.

“To not be embarrassed, to not be afraid to ask for help, to get people talking about what they go through as well” said Stewart.