An issue close to their hearts

Men’s mental health is an issue both close to their hearts considering some of their mates they grew up with in the Douglas Shire have committed suicide.

In the spaces they both work in, it is also clear that there is a mental health crisis in Australia. 

Mr Currie said that in line with his work as a police officer, he has seen others go through mental health struggles and even lose the fight with mental health by taking their own lives.

Mr Candler works with indigenous youth in the education and wellbeing space. “I studied psychology at JCU straight out of high school and have always been aware that my genetic makeup may have left me predisposed to potential mental health issues,” he said.

“I have developed a really strong mental health plan to negate this with running and exercising forming a significant part of my plan.” 

Shocking statistics

“We want to be actively involved in the conversation of how we can move forward as a nation and look at improving outcomes in this area,” Mr Currie said. 

Mr Candler added: “The statistics surrounding suicide in Australia are alarming enough, but for our First Nations people the statistics are even worse

“Three times as many First Nations people under 18 years of age die by suicide, compared to other young Australians, and 12 times as many First Nations children under 15. These rates are simply too high.”

Mr Currie and Mr Candler have a clear vision on how to improve these numbers.

“If people are talking about mental health and actively work on their own mental health we will see statistics improve”, Mr Candler said.

“This requires tackling the stigma around poor mental health which we hope will contribute to by completing our run.

“A healthier, connected and supported community of men across all minority groups of Australia will provide an environment for the next generation of young people to grow and thrive in.”

Movember

The two men are raising the money in the light of global fundraiser community ‘Movember’.

“Movember is a significant player within this space, offering large-scale support so that we can create local impact,” Mr Currie said.

“The collective emphasis of Movember on improving men's health, specifically men's mental health, will surely impact these statistics in a positive manner.”

During the trip they will be conducting community engagement events in the communities they run through to create maximum impact on their adventure.

“We will be working with a number of stakeholders including health providers, schools and PCYC. We will be talking about our project, getting active with the kids and talking about the benefits of living a healthy active life,” Mr Currie said.

Preparing for the big run

Undertaking such a big adventure needs a lot of training and preparation, which sometimes is challenging to combine with work and other commitments. 

Mr Candler said he is currently preparing for a three day Iron Man event down in Noosa, training 20 to 25 hours a week.

“Looking at it at the beginning of each week can be daunting but if you break it up and incorporate training with your mates it becomes far more manageable.”

Mr Currie is working hard on increasing the volume of running each day. Getting used to running on tired legs and fitting in a minimum of 15 km per day around work, parenting and spearfishing.

But the preparation and shared drive to raise awareness for men’s mental health only makes their friendship stronger.

“I am so proud to call Ash a friend of mine and with the amount of growth we are going to experience on this trip we will be brothers for life,” Mr Candler said.

You can support Ash and Jamie by donating money here.