Local Mum Speaks Up About Mental Health - At Penrith 2019 Hope Walk - The Western Weekender

After the death of her son last year, local mum is speaking up about mental health

By

 Nicola Barton

 -

 August 7, 2019, 8:43

It’s been nine months since the community felt the tragic passing of 21-year-old Lucas Eggleton, but his memory remains as friends and family spread his story to advocate for men’s mental health awareness.

Just two weeks short of his 22nd birthday, Mr Eggleton took his own life after a long battle with a mental illness.

His mother, Donna Fletcher, has since made it her mission to do whatever she can to offer support or service to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.

On Saturday, Ms Fletcher spoke at the Penrith Hope Walk event at the Nepean River.

Organised by the Western Sydney Suicide Prevention and Support Network, the event aimed to help break down the stigmas associated with suicide.

“These events are so important because there’s just a huge stigma about men and talking about their feelings,” Ms Fletcher said.

Some of the participants at the Hope Walk last weekend.

 Photo: Megan Dunn

“The figures are so high and we just aren’t talking about it enough, the statistics dropped when the R U OK? campaign came out but they are back up now and that’s because there’s no depth in it, there needs to be more prodding past that simple question.”

Before Mr Eggleton’s passing, he was receiving professional help but Ms Fletcher said there just aren’t enough readily available services out there.

“I work in the homeless sector, trying to get someone scheduled to be seen is crazy, people can’t wait, they need care now on that day when it’s all red and raw,” she said.

At the Hope Walk, other speakers came forward each with their own story but all with a similar message, encouraging people to look out for one another and speak up when they are struggling.

“We were just an average family and now we are a family that is broken, we’re all still so close but one of us is missing,” Ms Fletcher said.

“There’s the bartering of if only, if only he spoke out that day, if only he came straight home that night, if only, I can go through life bartering with ‘what ifs’ but my answer is we need to talk, not just ask if you’re OK, actions are what we need.”

The late Lucas Eggleton with his mum Donna Fletcher

Ms Fletcher said her son used to say “mum, you’re a do-gooder, keep doing good”, and now, using her voice to spread this very important message, she is doing just that.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.

Nicola Barton

A graduate of Western Sydney University, Nicola Barton is a news journalist with the Western Weekender, primarily covering crime and politics.

Penrith Hope Walk 2019 - We Need More of it.....

Penrith Hope Walk 2019 Event - What A Beautiful Day It!

John Svoboda shared a post.

Admin · 10 hrs

Penrith Hope Walk 2019 - A Success....   

John Svoboda is with Diane Tracy Marie Russell and 3 others.

Yesterday at 1:52 PM

Penrith Hope Walk 2019 was a successful walk today. We had at least 70-80 people at the walk - which is a great start for the first event in Penrith. We had people as far as Tregear and Blue Mountains that turned up at the event. My estimates were at least 70 - 80 people attended the walk (Short & Long Walk)

Thanks goes to all volunteers of Western Sydney Suicide & Support Network. Philippe Liniere , chef, his friend John & Brett the coffee man. Then there was Ru Ben & Christopher Booth our singers. Thank you to Sharon Clifford, former Penrith Coordinator WSSP&SN,
Guests speakers: Dianne Diane Tracy Marie Russell, Inspector Tracy Ford, Donna Fletcher, Councillor Brian Cartwright and Ray Lemon for minute of silence and respect to outsiders & country.

We also appreciated the attendance of Hon. Melissa McIntosh Federal Member of Parliament for Lindsay. I remember when I approached her campaign office, earlier this year, the gentleman in the front of of her campaign office said that she would definitely come to the event. When you hear things like this during an election you think 'THAT'S JUST TO GET A VOTE' but he obviously knew her well enough that her attendance quashed that thought. Getting our message and awareness to all politicians is important.

And of course a huge Thank you to Wayne Willmington ( Willmo) from Vintage FM and his crew for promoting the event and being interviewed by them allowing airtime to promote, this important cause. It was a beautiful day to raise the awareness and prevention of suicide and Talk about support for suicide victims.

14You, Amanda Supriya Townsend, Wayne Willmington and 11 others

                                 

Where There Is Walk There is Hope.........

So today, was a day I was to observe the organisation of  'The Hawkesbury Hope Walk', commencing from Clarendon Tennis Courts to the Richmond  RAAF information centre.

It was great day and the 3rd time it was held and for the 2nd time supported by the Western Sydney Suicide Prevention & Support Network (WSSP&SN). It was my first 'Hope' and will be first  of many ' Hope' walks that I will attend and co-ordinate one in the Penrith LGA, which I would like it to be called Bridge to Bridge.

Anyway, the Hawkesbury Hope Walk is a growing walk - from 20  

                                             people the first year to 150 last year to

over 210 people this year. A lot of people taking the walk would have been a victim of Suicide either through family or  close friends and there
would have been some that may have contemplated suicide and

Peter Webb

felt self-pride and comfortable by participating in the hope walk, which is hoping to prevent suicide for all people.

The Hawkesbury Hope Walk

The walk was an easy walk, where people could talk to each other and ask why they were here or maybe to let them do the walk quietly. A 2 kilometer or so walk is a gentle way we can get the message of hope and help to anyone that needs help. The 20-30 seconds of quiet reflection was a very important part before starting the walk.


I spoke to three men during and after the walk and two were strong men that had known of people that taken their own lives and one man had come to thank the organisation for allowing him to 

John Svoboda & Gray Sims from NSW

Information kits

participate and the way  the Hawkesbury Walk 2019 was conducted. What I didn't realise was that there are so many people, victims of a suicide, at the event and we all must be mindful of how they feel and allow them to speak, when they want to speak.



Here are some videos to see. Help yourself to view all of them:

Click here for video at the end of the Walk - the feeling.....

Clear here for the Healtfel Song.... (I apologise for not en-capturing the beginning of this song)


Click here for my 'Afterwalk Talk'



Click here for details of WSSP&SN

How To Help Someone....... - Western Sydney Suicide Prevention & Support Network

What we don't know is how to deal with someone who may have suicidal tendencies. So how do we deal with situations like this? 

There are many ways of looking at ways of this and one way is by checking details on the Western Sydney Suicide Prevention & Support Network website Click here for details

Anything we can do to prevent one life  from suicide is a happier moment for all  concerned:

         "LIVING LIFE IS IMPORTANT"