Jacqui Pascoe

Support my walk for mental health research

This October, together with my family I’ll be taking part in One Foot Forward to help reduce the impact of mental illness and suicide. Mental health and depression has impacted many for a long time and it is not picky when choosing its victims. On the 22nd of July 2024 my dad, my hero took his own life. Dad had unexplainable chronic stomach pain for a long time and tried to advocate for himself to get to the bottom of the pain so that he could return to living and not just existing. His pain was made far worse by the silent monster that is mental illness and depression although he couldn’t understand the physical impact depression could have on himself. I watched my dad withdraw into himself, as the pain became his only focus and took over his life and even though he was surrounded by his family and love he lost hope in our broken medical system. Dad called helpline as well as 000 when he was having suicidal thoughts but after speaking with ambulance officers as well as doctors in hospital if he was not at immediate risk to himself or others then he was sent home although the risk was imminent and in a matter of weeks he took his own life. Dad is now a statistic, I want him to be a statistic for change. I don’t want anyone going through the pain that my dad went through as well as the pain I am feeling in losing him. It would mean so much to me if you donated to support my walk. Together, we can create better mental health for all Australians.