Breaking the Ice: BryLin’s Ice Bucket Challenge for Mental Health Awareness

70 Years Strong—And Still Breaking Stigmas

As BryLin Hospital celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025, we’re launching a bold new initiative throughout Mental Health Awareness Month this May: The BryLin Ice Bucket Challenge for Mental Health Awareness — a campaign to help eliminate stigma, normalize conversations around mental illness, and encourage those who are struggling to seek help and support.

Inspired by the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, this new challenge isn’t just about cold water — it’s about warming up an often-frozen conversation. And we want you to be part of it.

What Is the Mental Health Awareness Ice Bucket Challenge?

Starting May 1st and running through May 31st, we’re encouraging individuals, teams, workplaces, and communities to participate in a fun, symbolic challenge to raise mental health awareness:

1. Grab a bucket of ice water.
2. Challenge and tag three others to do the same.
3. Say on camera: “I’m taking the BryLin Ice Bucket Challenge for Mental Health Awareness.”
4. Dump the bucket over your head.
5. Remind those you’ve challenged, they have 24 hours to do the same.
6. Share your video on social media with the hashtag #BryLinChallenge, and tag @BryLinHospital on Facebook or Instagram.

Why It Matters

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness each year. Yet, stigma and silence still prevent far too many people from getting the help they need. In fact, less than half of those who struggle with their mental health will reach out for help and treatment.

Suicide is a growing crisis in the U.S. — now the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This isn’t just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call. Local data indicates a recent rise in suicide rates in Erie County which only highlights the urgent need for greater awareness, stronger prevention efforts, and more accessible mental health care. To make real change, the conversation must shift from judgment to understanding — and that shift begins with awareness.

For 70 years, BryLin Hospital has been a trusted provider of behavioral health services in Western New York offering inpatient mental health care for children, adolescents, and adults in crisis. Now, we’re asking you to help us carry that mission into the next 70 years by making mental health conversations mainstream.

How You Can Help

• Take the challenge. Be brave. Be visible. Help start the conversation.

• Use your platform. Whether you have 50 followers or 50,000, your voice matters.

• Learn more. Visit trusted resources like MentalHealth.gov or NAMI to deepen your understanding about mental illness and share the facts.

Let’s Make Mental Health Go Viral

Together, let’s make the BryLin Ice Bucket Challenge for Mental Health Awareness as bold as it is cold. This May, let’s shatter the silence, start the conversation and help end the stigma that surrounds mental health. Let’s break the ice – one bucket at a time.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, contact BryLin Hospital at (716) 886-8200 or visit brylin.com.