Stef shuts up - 5th year!

Hi, I'm Stef!

On Monday 10 October (the start of Mental Health Week 2016), I'm going to be physically silent for 24 hours. Why you ask? To raise the volume on mental health!

This is my fifth year completing this self-imposed challenge and I’m going to make sure it’s a big one! I’m envisioning parades, public holidays, the whole shebang!

I’ll be raising money for headspace (again) as I believe that they provide an irreplaceable service to young adults in need. Suicide, anxiety, depression – the rates of all mental health issues that affect our population can be reduced if we intervene early and provide the right tools for resilience to our young adults.

Some of you may know my 'story'. I lost my father to suicide as young teenager, and then in late October 2012, I also lost my 17yo little sister to suicide. This year I passed a terrible milestone – I’ve spent more of life without my father, than I had with him. It’s something no child should have to experience – suicide or other. Now, I’m coming up to 4 years without my little sister and it is heart wrenching – I still miss her with every breath.

So pull out your credit cards, or come and see me to drop off cash!! This year to celebrate my fifth year I’ll be giving away a few ‘lucky door prizes’ to donators. Each donation will be worth 1 entry (regardless of amount donated), and names will be selected out of a hat to pick the winners. So far we have the following prizes wonderfully donated by amazing people:
• headspace goodie bag donated by headspace
• 4 goodie bags donated by Danielle Thompson, Independent Nutrimetics Consultant
• Glass artwork donated by Caroline Elliott, Reflections Glass Studio
• Framed photograph donated by Jeremy Wood, Mostly Photos


I’d like to crack $2,500 this year – that would take me past $10,000 raised in 5 years (I only need $1,134 to pass that milestone actually – but what kind of goal is that!). In return you may get a lucky door prize, and best of all, you get to see me try to communicate via mime and interpretive dance on 10 October.

It’s very entertaining – one of my highlights from last year was jumping up like a meerkat to look for help when my phone rang, then running over to my colleague who took the call, and answering urgent questions via notepad in my horrible fast scribble writing!

Thanks for your continued support.

Stef

If you want to read any more about my story - here's one I wrote in May 2013. It's a bit outdated now, but it essentially remains the same
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/connect-with-others/personal-stories/story/stefanie

I also have a facebook page which was a vision of my sister and her best friend, to encourage people to Be Happy, focus on the negative a little less and enjoy everything about this gift we call life. www.facebook.com/BeHappyDay18May