facebook.com/Illawarramerc twitter.com/illawarramerc Saturday July 07, 2018 | illawarramercury.com.au NEWS SPORT GUILTY FINDING SHOCK VALUE Nikolovski found guilty of 'revenge' killing Wolves boss departs amid A-League push # P2 # BACK PAGE $2.30 INC GST EST 1855 STEPPING OUT OF THE SHADOWS IT IS TIME TO HAVE A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION Today, in conjunction with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative we launch a new initiative aimed at raising awareness in this community of our high suicide rate. Most importantly we are calling on this community to take the time to nd out what they can do to help by joining our Care To QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer campaign. Our goal is for 10 per cent of this community to be beacons in the ght against the darkness. In coming weeks we will bring you the stories of those directly impacted by suicide, stories like Ann Frankham’s today. Help us bring this issue into the light. LISA WACHSMUTH reports, P4-5. EDITORIAL P57. Find out how you can become a QPR Gatekeeper inside today or via illawarramercury.com.au 4 ILLAWARRA MERCURY Saturday July 07, 2018 illawarramercury.com.au NEWS CARE TO QPR CAMPAIGN didn’t die on that particular night and that I managed to muddle through despite the Time to talk stigma around suicide, the lack of access to support, at the time,” she said. “My ongoing recovery has been helped by the about suicide support of good friends, by keeping connected with my community, and by my in- BY LISA WACHSMUTH going to bounce back, I’m a are encouraged to play their volvement in the arts – such rubber ball.” part by raising awareness, as Bundanon’s communi- WHEN Ann Frankham re- It took some time – and the helping to reduce stigma ty program. turned to her work in the rag support of friends and fami- and, importantly, undertak- “And I know I’m now trade after a suicide attempt, ly – for Ann to bounce back, ing an online suicide preven- making a di erence in other she found the word ‘hypo- but she’s now using her lived tion training course called people’s lives – just by having chondriac’ written on her experience to help others ex- QPR, or Question, Persuade, conversations with them, garment presser. periencing suicidal thoughts. Refer (see separate story). just by listening with no It was 1974, Ann was 24 As a consumer repre- Suicide rates in the region judgement. Because more years old and living in Wol- sentative with Grand Paci c remain higher than the state often than not, people don’t longong’s northern suburbs, Health, the 68-year old – who average, with around 40 to 60 want to die, they just want still grieving the death of now lives in Bomaderry – is suicide deaths each year over someone to listen – and that her beloved mother two working to stop the stigma the past decade according can be the hardest thing. years prior. that remains around suicide. to new gures released this LIVED EXPERIENCE: South Coast resident Ann Frankham made an attempt on her life “So I'd say to people ‘Lis- “For me it wasn’t premed- “A lot of people do still week by the Collaborative. four decades ago, and is now sharing her story to help tackle high suicide rates in the EVERYONE'S BUSINESS: Suicide affects people in all age groups (see inset), across all socio-economic groups and from all cultural, religious and ten to what I'm saying, and itated. It was a reaction to shy away from the topic of Dr Hains, regional manag- Illawarra Shoalhaven. Picture: Robert Peet language backgrounds. That's why everyone can play their part in helping to prevent it. Main picture: Adam McLean what I'm not saying; look at my ongoing grief over the suicide,” she says. “Even er of the Collaborative, says me and see me, not just what sudden loss of my mother for recently a friend said to me research suggests that for “As a result, the crude dents,” he said. “ ree out of on suicide – giving us a clear- says Dr Hains, and why that in order to reduce the what role they play in suicide egies into one communi- rst place. you want to see’.” whom I’d been the main car- ‘some people just don’t want every suicide death there are number of suicide deaths four suicide deaths are male er picture of what’s actually the Collaborative is using suicide rates for our region, prevention – and feel con - ty-led approach. “And the evidence sug- Over the next nine weeks, er,” she says. “I just thought ‘I to know’ and I replied ‘yeah, more than 30 attempts, and should really be considered and more than a third (37 per going on in our region,” Dr the data to inform a range we need to work more col- dent and competent to play “Over the last two decades gests by implementing all in the lead-up to R U OK Day can’t deal with this anymore’. and those are the ones I want an additional 200 people se- the ‘tip of the iceberg’.” cent) of people who suicide Hains said. “What it shows of evidence-based suicide laboratively with each other.” that role,” Dr Hains says. there’s been a gradual in- these strategies at the same on September 13, the Mercu- “I had to have surgery at to target’.” riously considering suicide. Nationwide, Dr Hains says, did not have a mental health is that there’s no one unique prevention activities across at thinking led to the In 2016 the Collaborative crease in suicide deaths so it time we can expect to reduce ry will run a series of articles Wollongong Hospital, and in Today the Mercury , in col- “It’s worth noting that sui- there was an average of 2795 condition.” pro le for those who die by all sectors. formation in 2015 of the became one of four trial sites was clear that what we were suicide deaths by 20 per cent outlining what is being done the aftermath I just remem- laboration with the Illawarra cide is unlike any other death deaths in the ve-year period e local data for the Illa- suicide or attempt suicide. “We see that suicide is Collaborative – which brings in NSW for LifeSpan, the doing was not enough,” she and suicide attempts by 30 in the region to save lives – ber feeling this shame and Shoalhaven Suicide Preven- in the way it a ects commu- from 2012 to 2016 – equating warra Shoalhaven shows that “And while suicide rates preventable, and we also see almost 40 organisations from nation’s largest integrated said. “So we wanted to take per cent.” and what help is available for feeling very misunderstood. tion Collaborative, is starting nities,” he said. to around eight people dying suicide a ects every social are highest among middle that right now this region has across the region including suicide prevention program an integrated approach and For people like Ann, the in- those in crisis. “When I returned to work a series of articles, and shar- “Research has found that from suicide a day. and economic group and aged people (41 to 55 years), a fantastic opportunity to health and education pro- developed by the Black a regionally driven approach tegrated measures to reduce If you’d like to talk to any- – to see that word on the ing personal accounts like there are 130-plus people “Suicide has overtaken people from all sexual orien- there is no age group im- have a signi cant and sus- viders, local councils and Dog Institute. using the nine strategies. suicide are a “monumental one about the issues raised presser – I could just feel this Ann’s, as part of a campaign signi cantly a ected every tra c accidents as a leading tations and cultural, religious mune to suicide, including tainable impact on suicide,” businesses, and support and Dr Fiona Shand of the “Some of them focus on step forward” in the way the in this article call Lifeline energy of disapproval. to reduce the number of lives time there is a suicide death, cause of death, with twice and language backgrounds. people aged 65 years plus.” he says. “While there’s lots emergency services. Blackdog Institute is the re- people already at risk, others community views, and works on 13 11 14; Suicide Call “Yet I also thought ‘I’m lost to suicide in the region. sometimes resulting in fur- as many Australians dying “We now have access to Which is why “suicide of services doing really good “We want everybody in the search director for LifeSpan, focus on ensuring people to prevent, suicide. Back Service 1300 659 467 going to show you guys, I’m All community members ther suicides. by suicide than in car acci- the best data we’ve ever had is everyone’s business” things, what we’ve learnt is community to understand which combines nine strat- don’t get to that point in the “I’m very lucky that I or MensLine 1300 789 978. illawarramercury.com.au Saturday July 07, 2018 ILLAWARRA MERCURY 5 CARE TO QPR CAMPAIGN NEWS didn’t die on that particular night and that I managed to muddle through despite the Time to talk stigma around suicide, the lack of access to support, at the time,” she said. “My ongoing recovery has been helped by the about suicide support of good friends, by keeping connected with my community, and by my in- BY LISA WACHSMUTH going to bounce back, I’m a are encouraged to play their volvement in the arts – such rubber ball.” part by raising awareness, as Bundanon’s communi- WHEN Ann Frankham re- It took some time – and the helping to reduce stigma ty program.