Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper.

  • Inaugural charity motorcycle ride brought together over 100 riders during PTSD Awareness Month.
  • Event raised awareness of life after service and supported veteran-focused charities.

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June marks Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding of the invisible injuries that can affect Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, veterans, and their families after military service has ended. 

For many within Canada’s Defence community, PTSD and other operational stress injuries can impact daily life in ways that are often unseen. For CAF members and veterans, PTSD can manifest in many forms, including anxiety, sleep disturbance, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or difficulty reintegrating into civilian life. Effects often extend beyond the individual, impacting families and support networks as well. While clinical treatment and professional support remain essential to the recovery process, community connection and peer support also play an important role in helping veterans navigate life after service. 

This message was at the heart of the inaugural ‘Kickstands Up for Veterans’ charity motorcycle ride, held June 20 and organized by the League of Veterans Canada under the theme Life After Service. As such, more than 100 riders and approximately 120 participants, volunteers, veterans, family members, and community supporters gathered for the event, which began at the Veterans Food Bank before following a self-guided route across Vancouver Island and concluding at Barnes Harley-Davidson. 

Created as a way to support veterans while raising awareness of the challenges many face after leaving the military, all funds from the event will be donated to two charities: Vancouver Island Service Dogs, and the Veterans Food Bank. Both organizations provide practical assistance to veterans facing challenges during their transition to civilian life. 

“The League of Veterans Canada wanted to find a way to give back to the veteran community,” explained Yance Sheehan, event organizer and CAF veteran. “Kickstands Up for Veterans came to be as a way to ride, raise awareness regarding PTSD, support two important causes, and remind veterans that they have not been forgotten.” 

For Sheehan, the ride grew from years of participating in veteran motorcycle events across Canada and the United States while navigating his own recovery from PTSD. 

Veterans share a hug during the inaugural Kickstands Up for Veterans event and ride. Photo: Jenna Franklin

“I have ridden across Canada twice with The Rolling Barrage and across the United States with Run for the Wall,” he said. “The ride brings us together, but the conversations, and the shared experiences are what help us heal.” 

Throughout the day, participants gathered not only to ride, but to reconnect with one another. Live music from Fly Trapped, presentations from Quilts of Valour, community organizations, and volunteers contributed to an atmosphere Sheehan described as both emotional and joyful. This sense of connection reflects an important learning when it comes to PTSD recovery.  

“When the uniform comes off, many veterans lose more than a job,” said Sheehan. “We lose the daily structure, the sense of purpose, and the brotherhood that came from serving beside people who understood us without needing everything explained. Not every veteran is ready to walk into a clinic or sit in a circle and talk about trauma,” he said. “Sometimes healing starts by getting on a motorcycle, riding beside another veteran, sharing a coffee, and laughing at the same old military stories we’ve told a hundred times.” 

As PTSD Awareness Month draws to a close, the success of Kickstands Up for Veterans serves as a reminder that supporting veterans with invisible illnesses extends beyond treatment programs and awareness campaigns. It also happens through community. 

“This ride was for every veteran who is still isolated, struggling, or wondering whether life can ever become meaningful again,” said Sheehan. “My message is simple: get out of the house when you can. Take one small step. Show up for a ride, a coffee, or a conversation. Good things can still happen when we allow ourselves to be seen.” 

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Defence Community Resources for PTSD Support