Better-at-Life Triathlon

In the 20 years Australia was in Afghanistan, we suffered 41 military casualties. Over a similar period, 1,273 serving and ex-serving personnel took their own lives. That equates to 31 veteran suicides for every soldier lost in war.

A proactive mental health model could help fix this, and YOU can help!

Swiss8 is a mental health charity aiming to use Veteran lived experience to address the problem. Using digital tools, certified courses and national events, they seek to help you build your tribe, structure routine, create your identity and find purpose. This approach targets the key issues identified as at the core of Veteran problems; disconnection, loss of identity, loss of purpose, anxiety and depression. In conjunction with the University of Newcastle, Swiss8 is also developing a proactive mental health model to help every-day Australians build resilience in the current stressful environment.

To help with their work, on 12 Mar I'll be conducting the Better-at-Life Sprint Triathlon as part of the Mooloolaba Triathlon festival. This will see me attempt a 750m open water swim in combat cams, a 20km bike ride in body armour, and a 5km run with an 18kg pack – symbolising the 18+ Veterans lost to suicide in 2021.

 

The current fundraising target represents $8 (one cold beer) for every veteran or serving member lost to suicide over the period 2001-2019:

 

"The latest figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveal 1,062 ex-servicemen and women, and a further 211 serving personnel, took their own lives between 2001 and 2019"

~ Source ABC, 29 Sep 21