Inspired by my twin sister, Emma Whigham, I have decided to start my own Courage Classic journey! This will be my first time participating in the Courage Classic event as a whole, as well as part of the Children's Hospital of Colorado and Pediatric Mental Health team. I am thrilled to be a part of this opportunity and of course, for a little healthy sibling rivalry. None the less I am excited to complete this physical challenge, as well as support this excellent cause, with her by my side.

I'd like to take this opportunity to reiterate the following facts from Emma's page:

• Suicide is still the leading cause of death for youth 10-24 years old in Colorado - nearly double the national average

• There was a 72% increase in mental health visits in 2021 compared to 2019 and a 215% increase in suicide plans/attempts; 50% of these kids were in a mental health crisis

• 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 our patients are running 6-12 months for outpatient services

• 1 in 5 kids are living with a diagnosable mental health illness but less than 50% will ever receive the appropriate treatment.

• 44% of teens report feeling persistently sad or hopeless.

If you've gotten this far, please consider donating for the cause via the "Donate Now" link at the top of the page. Your donation will help fuel our team through the ~120 miles of biking in the Rocky Mountains but more importantly will help support a child in need. 

Thank you all for your time and support!

Ben Whigham