Olympian Clara Hughes visited Western University to speak about her struggles with Depression and Mental Illness.
The six time medal winning Olympian visited the Campus for a motivational speech, followed by a candid Question and Answer session. Her book, Open Hearts, Open Mind is about her struggles with depression and mental illness; all proceeds from the sale of those books go towards her outreach initiatives.
Clara Hughes at Western University. Photo Courtesy of the Western USC
Her motivational speech in the morning described the balance between being an Olympian, as well as a person suffering with Mental Illness. Hughes credited her husband, as well as her older sister for the immense support they were able to offer her. Writing the book was also an interesting challenge for the athlete. “Everything in the book is honest, but it’s almost harder to talk to people about (depression),” she adds.
Clara Hughes is a Summer Olympian, as well as Winter Olympian. She competed as a Speed Skater, as well as Cyclist, before her retirement in 2012.
