north east regional extra | 11 - 17 april, 2018
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regional extra no r t h east
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11 - 17 april 2018
Fighting to erase
stigma
◆ DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE: Liz Frazer from Glenrowan is among a group of North East residents working towards breaking down the barriers of suicide stigma. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
by KYLIE WILSON LOSING three people close to her before the age of 21 has spurred Glenrowan woman Liz Frazer to join the fight to erase the stigma of suicide and seeking help. In the past year, she has become part of the regional organisation Beechworth to Bridge (B2B), led by Beechworth woman Lisa Cartledge. The organisation was formed by people affected by suicide, whose mission is to remove the stigma of suicide, improve the process of healing and promote the concept that depression is treatable and suicide is preventable. Liz’s father, a Vietnam veteran living with PTSD, took his own life when she was just 13, while her mother died by suicide just after Liz turned 20. She also lost a friend suddenly soon after finishing school. Liz said that going through these experiences not only deeply affected her, but also made her determined to fight the stigma and silence surrounding suicide, and she has been making an impact by helping spread the word about B2B as its website and social media creator. She said that average numbers of people who die by suicide are often double the road toll, noting that while we are bombarded with road safety campaigns, there are few similar campaigns related to suicide and mental health. Ŷ Continued page 3
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