Cambridge, Ontario —The City of Cambridge is set to host See Me, Hear Me: The Unheard Voices, a one-day speaker series aimed at highlighting the struggles faced by families affected by mental health and addiction, while promoting dialogue and collaborative solutions. The event will take place on Friday, October 24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hespeler Memorial Arena in Beehive Hall.
In a statement inviting media and community members to attend, the City announced that Mayor Jan Liggett will join a diverse lineup of medical, legal, and community experts who will share stories and professional insights on the realities of mental health and addiction in Ontario. The event is part of a growing local effort to foster awareness, empathy, and systemic change for individuals and families affected by these issues.
According to organizers, See Me, Hear Me: The Unheard Voices is designed to serve as a platform for storytelling and advocacy, bringing together families, health care leaders, legal professionals, and support organizations to examine the challenges and shortcomings of the current system. The event’s mission is to “build connections for families impacted by mental health and addictions, advocate for change, and amplify the voices of those who experience the system’s shortcomings firsthand.”
The speaker series will feature a range of voices representing multiple sectors involved in addiction recovery, family support, and mental health care. Scheduled speakers include Sydney Graham, Peer Support Manager at Families for Addiction Recovery (FAR Canada); Louise Lemieux White, Co-Founder of FAR Canada and a Registered Nurse; and Oona St. Amant, Associate Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and FAR Canada Board Member.
Other speakers include Dr. Richard O’Reilly, Consultant Psychiatrist and Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Western University; Judith Smith, Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Professor Emerita, and Author of Difficult: Mothering Challenging Adult Children; and Dan Carter, Mayor of Oshawa.
The lineup continues with Donald Avery, President of Grand-Families Inc.; Molly Peacock, Poet and Author of The Widow’s Crayon Box; Dr. Anjali Sharma, Chief and Medical Director of the Mental Health Program at Cambridge Memorial Hospital; and Stephanie Pearsall, Vice President of Clinical Programs and Chief Nursing Executive at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.
Community and policy voices will also be represented by Adam Crichton, Executive Director of Coping Bereavement Support Groups of Ontario Inc.; Lisa Feldstein, Health Lawyer and Principal at Lisa Feldstein Law Office PC; Helen Fishburn, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington; Anna Tersigni, Director of Quality and Risk and Chief Privacy Officer at CMHA Waterloo Wellington; and Karen Scott-Booth, Founding Member of TEAM to Effect Change.
Mayor Liggett is expected to address the importance of community dialogue and inter-agency cooperation in addressing Ontario’s mental health and addiction challenges. The event will also provide a media availability session at 10:45 a.m., where Mayor Liggett and moderator Sabine Matheson will be available to answer questions from reporters.
The City of Cambridge said the event builds on a growing recognition of the need for integrated, community-based solutions that put families at the centre of recovery efforts. Municipal leaders have increasingly emphasized the importance of collaboration between healthcare providers, law enforcement, advocacy groups, and local governments in tackling the social and economic impact of addiction and mental illness.
Mental health professionals across the province have noted that while government funding and policy reforms have advanced in recent years, gaps persist in treatment accessibility, early intervention, and family support services. Events such as See Me, Hear Me are viewed as opportunities to bridge these gaps through direct engagement between policymakers, service providers, and affected families.
The City’s release underscored that the speaker series will emphasize personal stories alongside professional perspectives. Many of the participants bring lived experience or close connections to the families navigating Ontario’s mental health and addiction systems. By amplifying those stories, organizers hope to influence both public perception and policy direction.
“Members of the media are invited to join City of Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett and leading experts for a day of storytelling, dialogue and action focused on the challenges and realities facing families affected by mental health and addictions,” the statement said.
Community members and media attendees are encouraged to register through cambridge.ca/SeeMeHearMe, where additional details about the event and speakers are available. The program is open to the public and expected to attract participants from across Waterloo Region, including advocates, healthcare professionals, educators, and families with lived experience.
As awareness of mental health challenges continues to grow across Canada, events like See Me, Hear Me: The Unheard Voices serve as reminders of the power of conversation and collaboration in driving systemic change. For the City of Cambridge, the gathering represents more than a single-day event — it is part of a sustained commitment to building a more compassionate and responsive community for those living with mental illness and addiction.
