Brendan and team will raise awareness and understanding within the rural communities they pass through. He is partnering with OzHelp foundation, which has a 15-year track record in delivering evidence-based suicide prevention, physical and mental health workplace training and support programs. 

“Men in particular don't like to talk about their mental health or things that make them look humble or vulnerable, but it's a conversation that needs to take place. The underlying risks of not seeking help are smashing our communities, especially rural ones. The journey is to raise awareness and understanding of rural mental health issues. The marathon being a metaphor for the mental health journey, it is not a sprint but a marathon that requires endurance, support, hope and a belief to keep pushing through to the finish line,” Brendan said.

OzHelp will be involved in the journey, an opportunity to help our rural communities which are currently drought affected. As an avid footy fan, assistant coach with Queanbeyan juniors and AFL Masters player for the ACT, Brendan has christened this year’s run the “Bounce Back” campaign as he will be bouncing an AFL footy during the run. 

Kicking off from Manuka Oval at 7:00pm on Wednesday 15 August he will then head to Parliament House for an official send-off by the Parliamentary Friends of Suicide Prevention. Brendan was diagnosed with clinical depression and severe anxiety in 2002, and will be sharing his testimony of hope, restoration and encouragement.

"There is always hope and you can push through. That's what this journey is all about. You must keep plugging away. Some days you will progress further than others. You need to take it one step at a time, and with others walking alongside, you can get through to the other side", Brendan said.

Brendan’s journey can be followed online and his donation page can be found here: