Working to make Canada a mentally-healthier place, one woman is racing across the province to make a change.

Marlene Hibbs recently passed through Swift Current on her trip across Canada raising awareness and issuing a call for definitive action in regards to systemic trauma and mental health.

Hibbs is making her trip in large segments, and contacting nearly every decision maker across the country in her crusade to bring change.

She said that she emailed about 1,700 MPs and MLAs as well as other elected officials in regards to her journey, hoping to spread her message.

Changing the way mental health and mental trauma is treated in the medical system is the primary goal of Hibbs, who said that a shift in our culture is needed to make this possible.

"I often ask politicians when I ask politicians when I meet them 'people aren't feeling free in their bodies, so how can we claim to be a free country,' so I'm asking hard questions."

Hibbs has ADHD, and had anorexia in the past, and said that in her experience, medical professionals did not diagnose her. Issues such as that highlight the fact that medical professionals need better training in diagnosing mental illness as the signs and symptoms may not always be present.

She said the lack of validation towards her mental illness is one way that it was perpetuated in her experience with mental health.

She is currently gearing up for a 500-kilometre bike ride across Manitoba, hoping to garner as much media coverage for the event as possible. That leg of her trip will take her an estimated 29 to 35 hours to complete.

Her journey has not been challenge free. As if strong prairie headwinds and long gruelling bike journies weren't enough, she also had her bike stolen, only to be donated another bicycle from a Medicine Hat company.

Physically, the ride has been taxing on Hibbs, who described the feeling of the long-distance legs of her journey.

"Imagine riding on the highway, and you're bumping, and the winds blowing, and that constant pain, and just surrendering to it so you can complete the ride."

She said that she frequently breaks out into tears during long-distance biking.

While dealing with the physical task of her journey, the mental aspect was the real feat to conquer, according to her.

Hibbs looks back on past experience to help get her through the ride.

"I just remember all the systemic pain, and challenges, and sheer frustration, and rage, and anger, and despair [of mental health strugles], all those elements, and I think 'this is easier than that.'"

She hopes to be able to publish a book on her journey with profits going towards mental health resources.

Before the 500 kilometre Manitoba leg of her journey, Hibbs hopes to acquire a camera crew to document her trip.