Trigger Warning: The following article includes conversations on mental health and wellbeing.
We are very excited to announce that one of our members is participating in the Laps For Life Challenge this March! Sue is one of our incredible members who’s smiling face, you may have seen around the facility before during one of her weekly swims.
This year she has challenged herself to participate, and to swim an unbelievable distance of 20 kilometres. And the best part about all of this, is that Sue will be swimming the entire challenge here at BayFit Leisure Centre.
To find out more about her support and participation in the Laps For Life challenge, Kai, our Facility Manager had a quick chat with Sue.
“I am doing this because it is important to help people when you can. I appreciate my personal situation and often take on small projects to help people who are struggling.” said Sue.
It is clear that Sue is no stranger when it comes to volunteering and giving back to the community, “I am also a volunteer for Share the Dignity. Contributing to the less fortunate is important for the health of a community as you would know.” Sue’s phenomenal efforts have not gone unnoticed, “I have now raised $1174.00 which is fantastic thanks to my very generous and wide friendship circle.” In addition to this she has even raised the bar for herself, “I have donated myself to demonstrate that I am backing myself.”
It is always a pleasure to see our members contributing to the local Altona community. If you would like to support Sue and this amazing cause, click on the link below:
https://www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/suestevens/laps-for-life
So, what is the Laps For Life Challenge?
Laps For Life is a swimming challenge run by ReachOut and is dedicated to raising awareness around mental health in young people. According to the Laps For Life website, “more than 1 in 3 young people in Australia is currently experiencing a mental health difficulty. But there’s an even bigger problem: more than 1 million of them are not accessing professional support. And, suicide remains the leading cause of death for 16-24 year olds in Australia.” The Laps for Life Challenge will take place from 1-31st of March 2023.
To find out more about the Laps For Life Challenge, click here.
What is the ReachOut Program?
ReachOut is a dedicated safe online space for young people to seek support for mental health and wellbeing. ReachOut has a range of resources and support available. This includes:
- One-to-one peer support
- Access to moderated online communities
- Tips
- Stories
- Resources
Click the link below to access the ReachOut website:
https://about.au.reachout.com/
Why is this important?
A challenge like Laps For Life is not only about raising much needed funds, but it helps to raise awareness about mental health and suicide, as well as raising awareness about support networks (such as ReachOut) available to those affected.
Our team would like to wish Sue the best of luck with her challenge. We cannot wait to see and hear all about it!
Support Networks:
If you or anyone you know are in immediate danger, call Triple Zero 000.
BlueFit would like to encourage that if this article has evoked any concerns that you can contact the following support networks:
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Lifeline 13 11 14
https://www.lifeline.org.au/ You can also visit the ReachOut website for more information and support.
