Winnipeg campaign reminds those struggling with mental health that ‘you got this’
Posted November 8, 2023 5:00 pm.
Last Updated November 9, 2023 1:21 am.
Editor’s note: This story contains references to suicide. If you or a loved one is at risk of self-harm, the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line can be reached at 1-877-435-7170
In July, Jasmin Laine received a call that would forever change her life.
Her ex-boyfriend Marshall Brandt, someone she believed to be her soulmate, took his life after battling depression for many years.
“He was always working so hard to try to not feel how he felt. And that is something that has really resonated with me since his loss: you just can’t stay silent with something like this,” Laine said.
While Laine admits the news nearly broke her, it was clear she wanted to honour Brandt’s memory by combating the stigma surrounding mental health.
That led her to Winnipeg retailer HayMad & Co. – a clothing brand that has long raised money for the Canadian Mental Health Association through proceeds from their “Be Kind” lineup.
Together Laine and company founder Amber Nemeth created the “You Got This” campaign, named after the simple words Laine and Brandt would say to each other during the darkest of times.
“There are literally thousands of people dying for an encouraging word,” said Laine. “And so if you can give them that without even talking to them, just by them seeing that on the back of your sweater, Amber and I thought that was such a beautiful message. And than the ‘I got this’ on the front is a reminder to yourself, so you know you can handle anything.”
Laine says it comes down to being part of a community.
“To be able to be a part of that, and to help people know that they can find a community in us,” she said. “We know what you are going through to an extent. Of course, there are variables, but we love you, we hear you, and you got this.”
Proceeds from every “You Got This” crewneck sold are donated to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
“Mental health isn’t something you should be ashamed of and neither is talking about it,” said Nemeth. “So anything we can do to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention, I am 100 per cent onboard for.
“Because myself, I too have lost someone to suicide.”
Nemeth and Laine hope the campaign will help raise not only awareness but also a community that is there for one another. Because while mental health can leave many people feeling isolated, they want those facing depression to know they are not alone.
“I don’t know if we will ever see that stigma erased, but I can promise you the second you start opening up and seeking that help, the amount of human beings you’ll find that can relate and can share that experience is so transformative,” said Laine.
The “You Got This” campaign begins Nov. 24 online and in stores.
