First Athlete and Canadian with Disabilities to cross all five Great Lakes
Recently recognized by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and the House of Commons, Mike Shoreman is the first athlete with disabilities to cross all five Great Lakes.
Through this national campaign, Mike raised critical funding for mental health programs and services in schools and communities, benefitting youth and children across Canada.
In 2018, a rare neurological condition left Mike immobile with multiple disabilities. Mike, a professional coach with Paddle Canada, experienced a significant mental health breakdown. After receiving mental health treatment and spending a year doing extensive physical rehabilitation, learning to walk, and facing hearing, vision and mobility challenges, he set out to achieve what medical professionals said was not possible.
After sharing his gripping story in 2019 with a powerful performance on stage, winning North America’s largest inspirational speech competition, Mike became an overnight online viral sensation. The speech he delivered received an overwhelming response, racking up millions of online views on multiple platforms, inspiring and touching people from all corners of the world.
Following an unsuccessful crossing attempt of Lake Ontario in 2021, Mike set a greater challenge, sounding the alarm on the youth mental health crisis in Canada. He aimed his sights on crossing all five Great Lakes. In the summer of 2022, Mike and his support team conquered Lakes Erie, Huron, Superior, Michigan and Ontario, winning the support and admiration of Canadians, while his crossings were covered extensively by International media, and shared across Canada by members of parliament.
Mike is an accomplished writer and author, an ambassador to several international non-profit organizations, an entertaining and passionate speaker, and a butter tart connoisseur.
TOPICS
One in Five, You and Me.
One in five Canadians experiences a form of mental illness. In this moving talk, Mike, a Bell Let’s Talk ambassador and global mental health advocate, shares his journey and treatment leading to a path of wellness and his advocacy for mental health organizations across the United States and Canada.
Teamwork: Crossing Five Great Lakes, One Team, One Vision.
From a group of strangers meeting on a boat on day one to forging lifelong bonds, Mike shares unique ways to bond, strengthen and build team relationships. Mike discusses the logistics and operational elements as well as the critical roles his team members played in executing the crossings of Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, Superior and Ontario.
Unchartered Waters: Overcoming Obstacles and Challenges
Navigating a complex neurological condition presenting vision, hearing loss and mobility challenges, Mike talks about the barriers and challenges he faced as a person with disabilities while preparing for and crossing the five Great Lakes. Sharing actionable takeaways to help foster an inclusive and accessible corporate culture of belonging and empathy
Conquering Fears and Building Resilience
Drawing from his personal journey of overcoming adversity, Mike will deliver his blueprint for building unshakable resilience, confronting challenges head on and reframing our relationships with fear and self-doubt.
