BILJANA Soleil has supported Lifeline’s suicide prevention program by undertaking the “Out Of The Shadows’ trek in North Arm Cove.
The Walk was first conceived as a way to remember those lost to suicide.
People walk nine kilometres to represent the nine Australians who die by suicide every day.
Encouraging an awareness activity for World Suicide Prevention Day, which was on 10 September, also promotes helping Australians in crisis.
Biljana walked with her friend and supporter Tammy, covering the round-trip from North Arm Cove Community Centre to Gooreengi Road turnoff.
She managed to raise several hundred dollars locally, which will go towards keeping the lines open at Lifeline.
“I wanted to help make Lifeline more available for young people who need help,” she said.
Every 24 seconds, someone calls its crisis support line, but not every call can be answered.
Just $39 will provide one life-saving connection.
“It is terrible to realise that [someone] might finally summon the courage to ring, but there is no-one to answer the phone on the other end.
“I’ve never done anything like [this] before, but have been putting a lot of things into perspective lately.”
Biljana has been writing about her own life experiences as she comes to terms with the concept of “intergenerational trauma”.
Her mother was aged only eight when she witnessed the brutal execution of her father and many other villagers at the hands of Bulgarian Nazi sympathisers during WWII.
While Biljana’s daughter Iskra, which means “sparkle” in several Slavic languages, was a psychologist who volunteered for Lifeline before her untimely death.
“I have been able to analyse my own life, and have realised that we are transferring our trauma from one generation to the next, especially those from countries struck by war.”
Latest figures show that 17,020 Australians walked to remember those lost to suicide and to help those in crisis – so far raising $3,639,030 for crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Lifeline: 13 11 14.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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