DENNIS RIDES AGAIN!!

For the 15th time overall, I’m riding in the Courage Classic to support Children’s Hospital. On July 15th and 16th I’m excited to ride on the Psyched to Climb team! Our team is the ONLY team in the Courage Classic supporting pediatric mental health – and I need your help!  I’m asking you to consider a gift of $25, $50, $100 or more to support this program and help me reach my goal of at least $2,000. Just click on the Donate Now link at the top of this page and your support will fuel me through the 120 miles of riding and burn of 4 mountain passes in the beautiful Rockies near Copper Mountain.

Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHC) declared a “State of Emergency” for pediatric mental health in May 2021 (a first for the facility in its more than 110-year history). Children’s Hospital Colorado continues to be flooded with kids suffering mental health crises. The pandemic has created a worst-case scenario for young people, exacerbating already elevated levels of anxiety and depression.

Here's some poignant facts:

• Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24 in Colorado.
• There has been a 72% increase in behavioral health emergency visits at Children’s Colorado in 2021 compared to 2019 and a 215% increase in suicide plans/attempts in the emergency department.
• Over the last decade, Colorado lost 1,000 residential treatment beds for kids
• A 29% - 42% turnover in the mental health workforce in our state is just one of the reasons why waitlists for outpatients services are running 6-12 months.
• In 2021, CHC President and CEO, Jena Hausmann, brought Dr. Ron-Li Liaw, the first ever pediatric Mental Health In-Chief to the hospital to develop atransformational, strategic vision over the next 5 years to advance a youth and family-centered, coordinated system of mental health care with collaborative partnersensuring equitable access to high-quality, evidence-based care and prevention.

With the help of generous donors like YOU, CHC is starting to see the positive effects of the work they are doing to help so many kids who are desperate, anxious, depressed, struggling with various mood disorders and, sadly, suicide.

Thank you for considering this worthy cause. To all of you who support my ride year after year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this one of your philanthropic priorities!

YOU MATTER! MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS! LET’S REMOVE THE STIGMA OF SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT’S NEEDED!

Ride On!

Dennis