Novocastrian Lyndsay Walker has set himself a mammoth challenge in a bid to prove there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
On Thursday June 1 starting at 7am, the 48-year-old will walk up and down Strzelecki Hill in Newcastle, not just once but for 24 hours non-stop to raise awareness of mental health and suicide.
The point isn’t to raise money, it’s to get people talking about mental health or perhaps prompt someone who is going through something to speak up.
“It’s going to be a very arduous challenge,” Lyndsay said.
“I want people to think about the fact that you put water in your body to hydrate yourself, so what are you doing to look after yourself in terms of your mental health?
“This event is starting in the light and then there will be twelve hours in the dark before we finish in the light. It will be so hard going through that nighttime but you just know the light on the next day will come.”
Lyndsay is no stranger to a challenge, he’s done laps of Tomaree Mountain completing push ups at the top after every lap, competed in the Newy100 and a 50,000-stair climb challenge for Soldier On.
Earlier this year he and his partner Vicki walked 67 kilometres around Maitland Park to raise awareness of mental health and suicide, and remember Vicki’s husband and daughter who both took their own lives.
“My partner, she lost her husband five-and-a-half years ago, he took his life not long before Christmas. He was really not showing any signs that he was struggling and he obviously was and then five months later her daughter on Mother’s Day evening took her life. So, a family of six turned into a family of four so we encourage everyone to really look after themselves or people they know and not have other people experience what Vicki and her family went through,” Lyndsay said.
“Vicki and I have got a very basic little Instagram page called U_Matter and we want to really encourage our people to look after themselves whether its taking in nature each day, looking after their sleep better, just ultimately looking after themselves.
“Life will always be challenging and there will probably be days where you feel like you’re walking up a mountain and you’re in the dark and its cold an then the next day or the next week you still might feel the same, but there will also be light at the end of the tunnel.”
Lyndsay is encouraging anyone who would like to join him on his walk, even for just one lap, to do so.
He’ll kick off at 7am and interested people can follow UMatter on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/umatter_awareness/
If you or someone you know needs help, contact:
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800
- Men’s Line – 1300 789 978