Image Credit: Nicholas' Run for Youth Mental Health / Facebook

By Dylana Kneeshaw

youth mental health awareness

Second annual Nicholas’ Run for Youth Mental Health taking place Saturday

Oct 31, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — This weekend, Kamloops residents will lace up their running shoes for Nicholas’ Run for Youth Mental Health. It’s the second year of the 5-kilometre walk/run event, which was founded in memory of Nicholas Zhou, a young Kamloops man who struggled with depression and passed away at age 19.

The event raises awareness around suicide prevention and donations collected are given to BGC Kamloops and Foundry Kamloops — which is a new youth mental health resource centre coming to Kamloops in 2026.

In its first year, the event raised more than $16,000 for youth counselling and support services in Kamloops.

“We just wanted to help just even one person, one family, so that’s our goal. One less person to experience what we went through,” Zhou’s mother, Rie Takahashi, told CFJC News.

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Lisa Imeson, one of the run coordinators, got to know Nicholas when he was part of an after school run group. Following his passing, she approached his mother Rie about organizing a fundraiser in his name.

“I asked if we could start a walk or run to reduce the stigma around mental health and raise funds to help families and youth who have mental health struggles,” says Imeson.

This year’s run aims to raise around $5,000. The money will be added to the Nicholas Zhou Legacy Fund at the BC Interior Community Foundation and used for support services at BGC Kamloops and the future Foundry Centre.

Takahashi feels there is a gap in accessible and affordable mental health counselling for people in their late teens and early 20s.

“When kids finish high school, the transition from finishing high school to becoming a real adult is a very difficult time, and there’s not much support out there. A little bit more support for that age group to have an easier transition to be fully adult,” she reiterates.

The other goal of the event is to raise awareness around suicide prevention and promote open conversations about mental health.

“We’ve just been really lucky. We’ve had good family and friends who have supported us along the way — and that’s what it’s all about is community,” adds Imeson.

The run begins at 9:00 a.m. from Riverside Park on Saturday (Nov. 2). Registration can be done online, or in-person on the day-of, and monetary donations are also being collected through the BC Interior Community Foundation.