The event is open to the public and is ideal for individuals living with bipolar disorder, family members and caregivers, mental health professionals, educators, students, employers, and anyone interested in learning more about mental health awareness and advocacy.

Beacon of HOPE: A Day of Learning, Awareness & Connection Comes to Kelowna

Kelowna, BC — The Dakota Bipolar Awareness Foundation is proud to announce Beacon of HOPE: A Day of Learning, Awareness & Connection, a full-day mental health awareness and education event taking place on Friday, May 8, 2026, at The Metro Hub in Kelowna.

Beacon of HOPE brings together leading researchers, clinicians, educators, individuals with lived experience, caregivers, and community members to increase understanding of bipolar disorder, reduce stigma, and foster meaningful connection and hope.

Running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the event will feature expert keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive dialogue focused on current research, treatment advances, lived experience, and practical tools for individuals and families impacted by bipolar disorder.

“Beacon of HOPE is about education, compassion, and community,” said representatives from the Dakota Bipolar Awareness Foundation. “By bringing people together to learn and share, we can break stigma, promote understanding, and remind those affected that they are not alone.”

Special Guest Speakers

The 2026 Beacon of HOPE event will feature an exceptional lineup of nationally and internationally respected experts in mental health research, psychiatry, and clinical training, including:

• Leena Chau
  Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia

• Dr. Benjamin Goldstein
  Scientific Director, Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder (CYBD), and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

• Dr. Kamyar Keramatian
  MD, MSc, FRCPC — Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine

• Dr. Lesley Lutes
  Professor of Psychology, Director of Clinical Training, and Director of Well-Being Research Excellence

Special Guest

• Dr. Edward H. Taylor
  Associate Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Development; Associate Professor; Mental Health Clinician and Researcher

These speakers will share insights on bipolar disorder across the lifespan, emerging research, clinical practice, lived experience, and the future of mental health care and advocacy.