Become a MIST Ambassador
Help us create awareness
Impactful community Ambassadors
The Mental Health Initiative for Stress and Trauma (MIST) was initiated by friends and family of Mike McClay, who died by suicide in October 2021 at the age of 49.
In 2022, Mike’s friends and family launched a powerful fundraising push during UCalgary's annual Giving Day. It was a resounding success with over 150 donors and raised over $300,000 with the matching opportunity.
That momentum has only grown with continued success again during last year’s Giving Day where the number of donors doubled from the year prior and also inspired larger, seven-figure gifts.
With the support of this small but mighty group of dedicated Community Champions, MIST has gained significant momentum and as of December 2023, nearly $5 million has been raised from hundreds of donors. Join us as a MIST Ambassador to help change the face of neuroscience research and save lives.
Meaningful advocacy comes in many forms
Host an event to promote MIST
Harness the positive power of your own connections by creating a fundraising event that raises funds and awareness for MIST.
Make MIST your charity
Use your influence to make a charitable gift that supports MIST research and initiatives — and makes a difference for so many.
Rally your community for MIST
Like Mike, you may have greater connectivity and positive impact on others than you realize. Use your voice to activate change.
Trevor Johnson / The Champion of Champions
Trevor Johnson was Mike McClay’s best friend of 30 years and was scheduled to have dinner with him on the tragic evening in October 2021 when Mike died by suicide — just months before his 50th birthday. Trevor struggled to understand how things could have been so dire without him knowing. He knew he had to transform his pain into purpose by honouring his best friend, “to make sure guys like Mike aren’t gone too soon.”
At Mike’s celebration of life, Trevor shared his idea to create a legacy for Mike in his eulogy. He received a call from Dr. Eric Hyndman, a urologist, and family friend with experience in fundraising for research, who suggested partnering with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI). Trevor did. And MIST was sparked.
With Trevor’s steadfast dedication to supporting MIST Ambassadors and Community Champions over the past two years, MIST has raised nearly $5 million (with no signs of slowing down) in the name of advancing neuroscience research and saving lives like Mike’s.
Mike McClay (left) and Trevor Johnson going to Baldface Lodge near Nelson, BC, on one of their many adventures together during their 30-year friendship.
If you ever met Mike McClay, you would undoubtedly ask yourself “how can I get more of that guy in my life?” It was impossible to not become a fan of Mike as his passion for fun was infectious. The individual impact he made on his community has been the foundation for the incredible support we’ve received for MIST, our legacy project to help those suffering in silence, like Mike was. For a few years now, people who knew Mike have stepped up to become an ambassador for our work and they have joined our growing network of supporters who have chosen to partner with UCalgary and HBI to send a message that losing someone like Mike is not acceptable and we have to do more to help those in need.
Trevor Johnson
MIST Champion
MIST Champion
Dr. Rob Hunt partnered with UCalgary and YYC Cycle to sweat it out in support of MIST at the first annual Hustle with Hunt Spin-a-Thon in 2023.
Dr. Rob Hunt / Hustle with Hunt
Local dentist, Dr. Rob Hunt, had been thinking about mental health after a near-fatal cardiac arrest during spin class last year. And while someone in his position might be focused on heart health, Hunt was struck by the notion of how being in that class saved his life. “If I had been alone, I would be dead,” says Hunt. “Being around people saved me. And that’s so important for our mental health, too.”
With an urgent desire to do something impactful, Rob “felt right” about championing MIST. In 2023, Rob partnered with UCalgary and YYC Cycle to host the first annual Hustle with Hunt Spin-a-Thon in 2023 to raise awareness and funds for MIST. Nearly 200 people joined Rob at YYC Cycle to sweat it out and show their support. The event raised more than $54,000 from over 250 donors, and is scheduled to take place again on April 13, 2024. Mental health, says Rob, “is paramount.” Surviving life's challenges — including cardiac arrest — has instilled in him a profound duty to advocate for mental wellness.
We need to be able to talk about mental health and suicide. That awareness can save a life. I’m proud to be part of a community that supports this vital cause. Together, we'll continue growing this event, and spreading awareness.
Dr. Rob Hunt
MIST Champion
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