Why I swim
I’m swimming this March because too many young lives are lost to suicide. Every lap I swim will help make sure there’s a safe place for young people to turn when life feels overwhelming.
I'm swimming to save lives
Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people in Australia.More than 1 in 3 young people are experiencing mental health difficulties, yet over a million aren’t getting the support they need.
That statistic hits hard for me — because I know how often mental health struggles start early, go unnoticed, or get quietly carried instead of spoken about. When it’s not addressed while you’re young, it doesn’t disappear. It follows you into adulthood and shapes how you cope, connect, and see yourself.
These realities are also why I’ve recently shifted my focus and direction in life. I’ve taken up study in Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care, which includes strong mental health and counselling elements, because I want to be part of supportive care that meets people where they are — especially in a world where it’s all too easy to lose sight of its beauty, meaning, and hope.
That’s why I believe it’s so important to raise awareness and support early, while young people are still finding their footing and learning how to understand what they’re feeling.
As part of Laps for Life, I’ve set myself a daily goal of a minimum of 40 laps every day. Each lap is a small, intentional act — time to reflect, reset, and keep the focus on why this matters. It’s my way of turning awareness into action and showing up consistently for a cause that deserves more than words.
ReachOut provides anonymous, free and 100% online support, giving young people a safe place to connect, share and get help when life feels overwhelming — sometimes when they don’t feel able to talk to anyone else.
To show that this isn’t just words for me, I’ll also be personally donating $25 to the fundraiser out of my own pocket on 6 February. Leading by example matters to me.
If you see how much this matters and feel moved to support it, please do so in whatever way you can — whether that’s a comment, a donation of any size, sharing this post, or even joining along and doing some laps yourself.
Together, even in small ways, we can make a real dent in youth mental health — for our youth and for our future.
My Swim Progress
Completed
0.00km (0 laps)
My goal
31km
My Impact
So far I’ve raised $5 to provided 1.25 young people experiencing mental health difficulties with vital support.
Top Donation
$5
Tamara Ransom
Shoutout to Tamara Ransom – my biggest supporter so far with a $5 donation to help young people get the mental health support they need through ReachOut!
Funds Raised
Note: displays max previous 3 years of fundraising only
Thank you to my
supporters
$5
Tamara Ransom
