At the end of October I will be doing a tandem skydive at 10,000 feet over Abbeyshrule, county Longford. The dive will last approximately 7 minutes and will reach a speed of up to 200kmh.  

The goal of this dive is to to raise awareness surrounding metal health and suicide while raising money to allow PIPS to continue their work and erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes. 

PIPS Newry and Mourne offers the community a targeted response to suicide and self harm and is the leading suicide prevention charity in the area.

From my own experience of the loss of a family member to suicide, I have seen how easy depression and  mental health issues are to hide or disguise as well as how deadly they can be without help. Unlike  other health conditions such as a broken leg or a sprained wrist where people find no issue in going to the doctor or talking about it,  the same cannot be said about an illness such as depression or anxiety. Mental illness is often seen as a weakness or  people feel that it's shameful to talk about, that it's a sign of failure. When someone breaks their arm we sign their cast, so why do we run away and find it so hard to talk about mental health.  I want to do something to help change this stigma and make a difference

For the second year in a row Northern Ireland has had the highest suicide rate throughout the uk.  These are issues that affect so many of us.

More than 20% of young people are suffering “significant mental health problems” by their 18th birthday.

 17% of men and 32% of women aged 35-44 show signs of depression

1 in 3 – had self-harmed before they were 16
1 in 3 – had suicidal thoughts or had attempted to take their own life.

If you know anyone who has suffered from any mental health issues or even someone you know who may be suffering from depression or anxiety, don't be afraid to reach out and start a conversation, it could make all the difference. Sometimes people just need to know they have people around them who care. For more information on starting a conversation or how to respond to someone who has reached out to you, visit:  www.pipsnewryandmourne.org 

I am very grateful for any donation made, every pound, euro and dollar counts. All money donated goes directly to the PIPS charity (the skydive was my 18th birthday present so it's cost is already covered). Thanks in advance.

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