Lifeline Western Melbourne recognised World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, September 10 by holding its first Out of the Shadows Walk in Footscray.
Walkers were met with appropriately sunny weather at Footscray Park for the event which raised money for suicide prevention.
About 50 participants took part in the walk around Footscray Park Oval, behind the Footscray campus of Victoria University, who along with Lifeline, helped organise the event.
From 7.30am to 8.45am walkers did nine laps of the oval, which, as Lifeline’s head of corporate and community partnerships in Victoria, Mike Parker, explained, had a grim significance.
“Unfortunately in Australia there’s about 3000 suicides in Australia a year which equals about nine a day,” Mr Parker said, adding that raising the awareness and understanding of suicide with events like Out of the Shadows, would help bring those numbers down.
“Whether it is those in crisis experiencing suicidal thoughts, those with lived and living experience of suicide or those bereaved, talking through things can help to bring suicide out of the shadows so we can shine a light on this important issue,” he said.
One participant well aware of the importance of the issue was Lifeline crisis support worker, Ian Palmer.
Mr Palmer spends four hours per week answering calls from people in distress, as well as volunteering at a Lifeline store in Geelong.
After completing his walk, he explained how his work in suicide prevention came about.
“My daughter was a volunteer with Lifeline many years ago when she was a student and I’ve come across several people who’ve lost loved ones to suicide who have volunteered for Lifeline as well and in retirement I thought, yep, that’s a good idea,” Mr Palmer said.
Four years on, he has helped scores of people calling into Lifeline and said just listening to them is often enough.
“Suicide is not something that comes out of the blue for most people,” Mr Palmer said.
“It begins with not being able to talk to anybody and not having any resources so it’s really important that we’re there for people in their loneliness.”
To donate: https://www.outoftheshadowswalk.org.au/fundraisers/lifelinewesternmelbourne
If this story raises issues for you, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 13 Yarn on 13 92 76.
