Music: {allcanada} SENATORS' RICHARDSON IS JOINING MENTAL HEALTH FIGHT

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

{allcanada} SENATORS' RICHARDSON IS JOINING MENTAL HEALTH FIGHT

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson is teaming up with an Ottawa hospital to raise awareness about teenage mental illness.

Richardson's 14-year-old daughter Daron took her own life last November, a devastating blow for the former NHL defenceman, his family, friends and the National Hockey League fraternity.

Rather than bury themselves in grief, the Richardson family is going public to implore Canadian youth and their families to seek help.

Richardson and his wife Stephanie told a news conference that the family was very close and no subject was off grounds for discussion -- but they never spoke of suicide as a family.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death, behind accidents, for Canadian youth between ages 15 and 24.

Studies show that half of all mental disorders begin during adolescence.

The Royal Ottawa hospital has launched an awareness campaign under the name doitfordaron.com that has designated Feb. 8 -- Daron's 15th. birthday -- as a day of discussion.