Heywire is open to regional Australians aged 16 to 22 and gives them an opportunity to tell their stories of life outside the major cities.

The 41 winners will meet in the capital in February to discuss issues facing regional youth.

Megan's entry dealt with her struggle with mental illness and her efforts to raise money for youth mental health services.

The 19-year-old started suffering psychogenic seizures in Year 9.

Psychogenic seizures mimic epilepsy. 

The condition most often affects women in their teens or early 20s.

In Megan's case, episodes were triggered by stress.

During her worst periods, she was having up to five seizures a day.

Her struggle to cope with the disorder contributed to bouts of depression.

Through time and treatment, the severity of her condition lessened to the point where seizures now occur only every few months.

Megan said she was surprised at the lack of awareness about mental health issues in Bendigo at the time of her illness.

She decided to get on her bike and tackle the issue head on, cycling 500 laps of the Tom Flood velodrome in 2011.

Her mammoth nine-hour ride raised $20,000 for mental health services.

Megan has continued her work to lessen the stigma and now works as a community engagement officer at youth mental health initiative Headspace.

She's preparing to head to Melbourne this year to study psychology at La Trobe University. 

Megan said she wouldn't let her condition stop her from experiencing the joys and stresses of university life.

"There are always going to be things that pop up in life that are going to stress me; that's just a part of life and something I need to be able to deal with," she said.

"Everyone suffers stresses and anxiety but my came out in a very physical way."