Motorcyclists will ride through central Victorian towns next month to kickstart a conversation about mental health and suicide.
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Newly formed group Ride4Life will join in the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Network remembrance walk through Bendigo on March 19 before continuing on to Newbridge, St Arnaud, Maryborough and Castlemaine.
Organiser Rick Oates said a motorcycle fleet’s arrival in town often spurred residents to ask about their campaign to destigmatise the topic of mental illness.
“Then all of a sudden the stories start to roll out,” Mr Oates said.
"Numerous times I've talked to people and they've explained, ‘I’ve been through that’, or they have a brother, sister, uncle, aunty who have.”
Mental illness did not discriminate, the rider said, explaining even members of the motorcycling community battled with mental illness,
He listed work stresses, financial pressures and relationship breakdowns as the reason some people contemplate taking their own life.
Talking about those feelings was the first step towards defeating stigma, Mr Oates said.
“Our goal is to get the word out in the community that it’s actually an illness, not a weakness.
“But people just push it to the side and don't realise that it is an issue and that there's a lot of people there to help.”
While this year channeling its support to SPAN and Lifeline, Ride4Life eventually hopes it can reach out to people living with post-traumatic stress disorder and young people struggling with depression.
The SPAN walk leaves Bendigo’s Dai Gum San Chinese precinct at 10.45am on Sunday, March 19, but a breakfast for riders and their supporters will begin at 8.30am.
Musician Knot and duo Ben and Emily will provide musical accompaniment on the day.
People bereaved by suicide are encouraged to pin a paper butterfly dedicated to their lost loved one to a wall of remembrance at the walk’s end.
Registration for the Ride4Life costs $25 a rider and $10 a pillion. Visit www.ride4life.org.au for more information.
If you are or someone you know is contemplating suicide or battling mental illness, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondlbue on 1300 22 4636.
In an emergency, dial 000.