Our Challenge - Dedicated to Phil
In February, Parker and Karen are taking part in The Push-Up Challenge. We are challenging ourselves to complete a heap of push-ups between February 5-27, 2026 to push for better mental health outcomes in Canada.
When a mental health crisis - a life-threatening health crisis hits your family, what do you do?
If someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening physical illness, an entire medical team mobilizes. Tests are run. Specialists are called. Treatment begins immediately. No one questions whether the suffering is real or urgent.
Yet we treat mental illness like a personal struggle instead of what it is: a medical crisis that can become fatal. When the body is sick, care is immediate, coordinated, and urgent. When the brain is sick, people are given phone numbers, waitlists, and very little hope.
In 2023, Phil did what we tell people to do - he reached out. He called help lines. He asked for support. He was fortunate: he could afford intensive therapy and had a psychiatrist. Even with those advantages, the system fell short. Because he wasn’t deemed in “immediate danger,” there was no public facility, no treatment program, no safety net. That gap is where people fall through.
It’s where families watch, terrified and powerless. It’s where loved ones become full-time caregivers without training or support. It’s where financial barriers decide who gets care and who doesn’t.
On July 6, 2025, Phil’s life was lost. I can’t say for certain that a better-funded, more responsive mental health system would have saved him. But I do know this: families should never be left to manage a life-threatening illness on their own simply because that illness lives in the brain. The current system fails people every day, and families are left to carry the consequences.
Supporting CMHA National
Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive.
Présente dans plus de 330 collectivités réparties dans chaque province et au Yukon, l’ACSM œuvre en défense des droits et offre des programmes et des ressources qui contribuent à prévenir les problèmes de santé mentale et les troubles mentaux ainsi qu’à soutenir le rétablissement et la résilience afin de permettre à tous les Canadiens et à toutes les Canadiennes de s’épanouir pleinement.
This team is currently ranked > 22 out of all teams that are fundraising
| Rank | Name | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Manac | $8520.00 |
| 20 | The Push-Up Portfolio | $8450.00 |
| 21 | The Serotonin Squad | $8400.72 |
| 22 | This is the Best Team Ever | $7925.00 |
| 23 | Golden Pushers | $7746.00 |
| 24 | The tuggers | $7612.46 |
| 25 | Worley Canada Construction | $7601.42 |
Team Push-Up Total
Thanks to Our Sponsors
$250
Sharon and Frank RosenbergStein
$250
Kim Astley & Andrew Imrie
$250
Carmine Filice
$250
Stantec
Thank you! Your donation has been matched by Stantec
$200
Lindsay, Sam, Cash, and Izzy
We love you and will always support you. To: THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!
$180
Anonymous
So proud of you both. You’re being watched over with & by a full hearted soul & Spirit of Phil
$180
Holly and Jonathan Leinwand
Such a great cause, Phil would be proud of you both.
$154
Uncle Caca poopoo diarrhea fart.
$127
Josh, Pamela & Lily Gellman
Love will carry us through!
$126
Steve P and Steph
Go team! The BEST team ever! Sending all our love and support.
$120
Josh Stein
$120
Gladstones
$120
G Mackintosh
Such an important cause. Go Karen & Parker!
$120
Nicole V
$120
Mike, Keren, Sam and Ruby Dacks
Best Book Club Ever!
$120
hesty leibtag
So proud of you Parker Supporting Mental Health is so needed. Thank you for making a differene.
$120
Nicolas Baldovini
Let's go JOSH! For Phil and others.
$120
Lisa Batke
Xo
$120
Tip Top Trough
$120
Adam
So proud of you Parker!
$120
Luc Du Sault
Go Josh
$100
Keith Barry
$100
David Boldovitch
$100
Bianca Freedman
$100
Erica Connolly
♥️
$100
Amy Kirsh
Go Parker and Karen! A very important cause in memory of a loving person.
$100
Kim & Andrew
A great cause in memory of one of our favourite dudes.
$100
Jacqueline Block-Glass
Thank you for trying to make a better world for everyone in honour of our Phil ❤️
$100
Amy Block and Paul Gellman
Yes! Supporting mental health! Thank you guys for doing this. We’re also putting efforts, time, money and energy promoting awareness for mental health. In B.C.!
$100
Anonymous
Way to Go Parker! From your old friend Hannah!
$100
Mireille Cote
Congrats Josh!
$100
Fred Weizenberg
$100
Claude Auchu
Push Push Push!
$100
Mark Beider
$90
Barb Zaldin
$72
Craig O
$65
Tom Nesbitt
Good luck!!
$65
Anonymous
$65
Anonymous
$65
Olivia Lobbenberg
Go Parker, you’ve got this!
$65
Ruth Parker
What a worthwhile and important cause to help raise money for…
$65
Lynda Stoller
So proud of you, Parker! ❤️
$65
Lynda Stoller
I have no doubt you will meet this challenge with flying colors. So proud of you and Parker for raising money for mental health.❤️
$65
Shira Gellman
Love love love
$65
Norm
$65
Leo
Thinking of you
$65
Anonymous
$65
Marie-Christine Cayer
$65
Heather Robertson
Thanks for doing this - such a great cause!
$65
Janet Bradley
Congratulations Parker. You made your goal !
$65
Aily and Ben Goodis
$65
Samantha Barkin
Go Parker Ho!
$65
Rebecca Sidney
Way to go Parker!
$65
Vivian Rading
Let’s go Parker! If you’re reading this, drop and give me 10!
$65
John Mulder
Good luck!
$65
Jen and Jay Brown
Amazing work!
$54
Ev and Tal
$54
Elaine + Sid Kohn
$54
Jacqueline, Mark, Nathan and Norah
$50
Erin Ludgate
$50
Elliot Schnabel
$50
Wendy bradbury
$50
Julie Pilon
$50
Robert Archambault
Thinking of you and Parker! Xo
$50
Robert Archambault
Way to go Parker!! Keep up the great work and good luck with all those push-ups!!!
$50
Parker Verk
Good work Auntie Sarah. Thanks for joining This is the Best Team Ever
$50
Isaac Abenhaim
Good luck
$50
Krystan G Hines
$50
Kylie Leibtag
$40
Laura Bradbury
$40
Anders Family
Good luck Parker!
$40
Danielle
$40
Patrick & Lori Sughroue
$36
Anonymous
$36
Rachel, Brian, Samara & Max Jacobs
Proud of you!
$36
Ben West
$36
The Belmans
Go Parker Go! Lots of love from Mitch, Nat, Ozzie and Violet
$36
Kacie Bell
Hi Parker! It's so nice to see you've been working hard at your push-ups to help raise money for charity, in honour of your dad. I'm really proud of you. Love Kacie
$35
Nikole Patterson-Hurst
$35
Claudia&Bill Donnelly
Happy to support a good cause. Good Luck
$35
Steve young
$35
J Verk
💝
$35
Ashley Cox
Love this tribute! You are such a great mom!! Sending love. 💕
$35
Sarah Murray
$35
Donna Staller
$35
Stefanie Forcier
$35
Melanie Hong
$35
Natalie Totayo
$35
Krista and Tyler Findlay
$35
Jane Rinard
Thanks for doing this!
$35
Grey Simoes
Keep going, Parker! You can do it! - Grey
$35
Cecelia Glover
Go team Sarah Karen and Parker 💜
$30
Tijana Mitrovic
$25
The Keefe Family
Inspired by your strength! All the push-ups we do this month will be for Phil!
$25
The Keefe Family
What a powerful way to honour your Dad. Our family will be doing push-ups alongside yours this month. Be proud of yourself, young man!
$25
Reid Warren
$25
Catherine
An amazing cause-very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.
$25
Konor Abrahams
$20
Mr. Palmer
Let’s get this show on the road!
$20
Debbie Michailidis
$20
Verity Badov
$20
Julia Gellman
$20
Kevin Davison
Go get 'em Ben!!
$20
Anonymous
$20
mike valiquette
$20
mike valiquette
$18
Sean Abenstein
$18
Anonymous
$18
Jessica Shabtai
$10
Jeremie Romain
$5
Benjamin Caven
Part of Leaderboard Sports and Fitness
Very worthwhile cause in honour of a good friend.