Event of 'unparalleled' advocacy: CRESCENDO makes Calgary debut to rave reviews

The reviews are in and everyone agrees: CRESCENDO absolutely rocked.

Long familiar to Edmontonians, this one-of-a-kind experience made its Calgary debut to a standing ovation at the Arts Commons Jack Singer Concert Hall on May 24.

More than 160 artists and members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra dazzled the audience with amazing performances while courageous young people and their families shared stories of inspiration in support of Calgary’s much-needed Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health.

The evening was presented by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and produced by the John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation, a powerful ally for mental health initiatives like the Centre, an innovative facility that will be a crucial resource for kids and families in need of mental health support.

“This is a life-long battle for some, and until recently it has been something that no one ever wanted to talk or hear about. CRESCENDO is changing that stigma and will continue to do so in the future." — John Cameron

John Cameron of the John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation.

Dr. Chris Wilkes, medical director for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in the Calgary Health Region, applauded CRESCENDO, calling it an event of “unparalleled” advocacy.

“I don’t think I have ever witnessed a more passionate call-to-action,” he says.

“Seventy per cent of mental health issues begin in childhood, which is why we are committed to building the Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health,” says Saifa Koonar, President and CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“The need is clear, and we are so grateful to our sponsors, everyone in the community who bought tickets, and of course to the John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation for their incredible support. They put on an absolutely amazing show and we couldn’t be more thrilled about the awareness CRESCENDO generated for our Build Them Up campaign to build the Centre and support vital programming and research.”

See our Flickr album for more exciting photos from CRESCENDO.

The Centre marks an important step forward for mental health in our community. It will provide three new important services to help young people and their families with mental health needs before they escalate into crises that require hospitalization.

The $50-million build is expected to break ground this summer in the northwest Calgary community of Hounsfield Heights.

“We hope that purpose-building the Centre for kids and teens within a beautiful community setting will help encourage more youth and families to reach out for help when they need it," says program manager, Ryan Clements.

Click here to learn more about the facility and help us Build The Centre and Build Them Up!

Site preparations expected to begin this summer

Work on the future site of the new Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health may begin as early as this summer. Alberta Health Services submitted its application for a development permit at the end of December and the project team anticipates receiving approval to proceed in late June or July. That means crews could begin grading, excavation and other work required to prepare the parcel of land in the northwest neighbourhood of Hounsfield Heights for development. In the meantime, the initial stages of design are well underway.

Plans to create a new Centre were announced last May, marking an important step forward in advancing mental health services for young people and their families. When it opens in 2021, the Centre will provide three new much-needed services: a Walk-In Clinic, Intensive Community Treatment and a Day Hospital. These services are aimed at helping families better identify and manage challenges before they escalate into crises that require hospitalization.

“The Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health will literally help to change the landscape of mental health care for young people in our city and beyond,” says Program Manager for the Centre, Ryan Clements. “We hope that purpose-building the Centre for kids and teens within a beautiful community setting will help encourage more youth and families to reach out for help when they need it.”

Knowing how valuable their voices were in planning for the new Alberta Children’s Hospital, the project team has been engaging youth and families to help shape the look and feel of the Centre. As a result, everything about the Centre – the light, the energy, colours, room layouts and furniture – are being specially designed to create a warm, inviting, youth-focused atmosphere. The architects have incorporated into early renderings an abundance of large windows, which allow the healing properties of natural light to be felt and enjoyed throughout the Centre. As well, the exterior look of the Centre features an origami-like design. This “wrapping” of the building uses interesting angles and lines to make the overall structure less intimidating and institutional-looking.

The next phase of design development will delve into greater detail for the interior and exterior of the Centre, including room configurations and finishes. Blueprints containing detailed specifications will be developed from there and provide the basis for formal construction to begin.

Two advisory councils will continue to consult on design and program development right up to the Centre’s opening: a Child and Youth Advisory Council made up of young people aged 12-21, and a Family Advisory Council consisting of parents. Between the two groups, there are over 40 advisors who have a diverse range of life and health experiences.

“They are all very passionate about this historic project,” says Ryan Clements. “Most of them believe the Centre would have made a big difference in their lives. They are committed to ensuring it will be a place that kids and teens will want to visit.”

Some of the areas for which the advisors are currently providing input include:

• the development of a family and community resource centre within the new facility, including what information families need most and the best ways and times for access.

• the key elements of what makes a program or service welcoming, including considerations to ensure the Centre is inclusive.

• community organizations that could be engaged as partners to ensure the Centre becomes an integrated hub for clients and their families.

How you can #BuildThemUp in May with two of the hottest tickets in town

Mental health challenges are the single largest health problem facing young people in Canada today. With one in five children and teenagers struggling, the demand for services is higher than our health system can accommodate. Thankfully, generous people in our community are working hard to change that.

May will be an exciting month of Hollywood glitz and a one-of-a-kind music experience — two events in support of the new Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health.

The Metamorphosis Gala

On Saturday, May 4, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Youth Council will present the 6th annual Metamorphosis Gala, an evening of entertainment, guest speakers, a silent auction and more at the Silver Springs Golf and Country Club. Tickets are $45 for adults, $25 for students and $15 for children up to the age of 11. This year’s theme is A Night at the Oscars! Click here for tickets. For more information or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Stephanie Nitschke at 403-955-8815 or snitschke@achf.com.

Can't attend or want to help even more?

You can donate directly to the Youth Council's fundraising page for the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

CRESCENDO

On May 24, treat yourself to the premier of CRESCENDO at the Arts Commons Jack Singer Concert Hall. This unique concert is presented in partnership with the John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation and will have you on your feet and belting out classic rock favourites. Beyond an evening of exceptional live music, CRESCENDO stirs compassion and hope for those facing mental health challenges in our community as they share their personal stories from the stage. Together we can build understanding, reduce stigma, and fund programs to help those reaching out for support. Click here for tickets. We hope you can join us.

Why Give?

​There is a critical need for more specialized services.

The new Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health will be wholly dedicated to serving children, adolescents and their families in need of urgent and intensive mental health care and will be located in a beautiful community setting. Its three new services will augment and integrate with the overall continuum of care currently provided through the AHS Child & Adolescent Addiction, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program (CAAMHPP) and other important community agencies.

The new Centre will provide families with greater access to timely assessments, intervention and therapy and ultimately reduce admissions and lengths of stay in hospital for children and teens.