One The Front (One) Foot Forward

Club mates have been very charitable and generous with their appreciation of the Waratahs website and the Facebook page and the mountain range of statistics I gathered in 15 years of research. I’m grateful.

The truth is, at a time, twenty years ago, when I was planning and attempting suicide, chasing down the club’s history came as fabulous way to focus each day on something else. It was a strategy I learned in programs designed by the Black Dog Institute.

Tomorrow I start walking 100kms. I’m 67 and raising awareness and money for programs and strategies I used, even just this week, to overcome mental unwellness?. I’m alive but tomorrow another 9 Australians won’t be, dead by suicide. Men in rural areas are more prone. For people aged 15-44, it’s their leading cause of death. 

What doesn’t kill you still doesn’t leave you with much more than long periods of depression and anxiety and disconnection. I had an advantage. All of us Waratahrians put each others Humpties back together again, over and over, just like mates always do. 

At 43, I should have died but BDI and support from mates has kept me here … to walk … to ask you to help. Even $1 will do some good. Even if you can’t donate, please share this.

Donate to My 100km On The Front Foot

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