Ironman competitor overcomes addiction and mental illness, organizes run to help others

Don River Run for Recovery - August 28, 2005 at 10 a.m. at the CAMH's Brentcliffe Road site

For immediate release: August 23, 2005 (Toronto) - The 11th annual Don River Run for Recovery (DRRR) will be held on Sunday August 28, 2005, starting at 10 a.m. with one person, who has battled addiction and mental illness, leading the race to the finish line.

As the director of the DRRR, Kari Ala-Leppilampi now encourages others to not only finish the race but to get started by taking part in the 5 km run or walk and 10 km run held at the Brentcliffe Road site. The Don River Run for Recovery benefits people with addiction and mental health issues by making valuable recreational activities more accessible at CAMH.

Kari has many accomplishments to his credit including qualifying to compete in this year's Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona Hawaii. Yet his greatest accomplishment is one that many people do not know about. In his late 20's Kari was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Unable to talk openly about his illness, Kari turned to alcohol and drugs as a way to cope. Over time his illness worsened and his personal and professional relationships began to suffer. Noticing a change in Kari's performance, two of his professors intervened and Kari bravely sought treatment and began to manage his illness.

Though Kari always enjoyed running, an activity he shared with his father while growing up, he began to see it as an outlet to help cope with his daily struggles. "Not only did exercise give me more energy and improve my self-esteem, it also gave me time to reflect on my life and what I needed to do to improve it," says Kari, who is also a research analyst at CAMH. Before long, Kari saw changes in his health and now says that he is in control of his illness and leads a productive life.

Wanting others to experience the benefits of being physically active, Kari encourages others to make it an integral part of their treatment plan. "My story shows how exercise and physical activity can be an important component to recovery and should be integrated into a program which includes treatment and medication," he said. "Whether you are a beginner or an avid runner, the DRRR is a way to be active in a friendly environment while supporting those in need of help."

All proceeds from the Don River Run go towards the Fitness in Treatment Research and Advisory Panel (FITRAP) at CAMH, a multi-disciplinary body with the mandate of promoting improvements in physical fitness among all addiction and mental health clients at CAMH.

Race information and registration forms are available on the CAMH website at www.camh.net. A copy can also be picked up in Running Room stores or by logging onto www.runningroom.com. 

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. 

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For more information or to schedule an interview with Kari Ala-Leppilampi, please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations at (416) 595-6015.

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