By Bridget Cook
CRANBOURNE North teenager Kayla Brimble knows the pain and suffering involved with losing a loved one.
Her 19-year-old brother Joel Brimble was one of the four teenagers killed in the horror smash in Hampton Park in 2009 that rocked the Casey community.
It the past month, the south east area has been shaken in a different way with three young people taking their own lives.
And in the past year there have been several other youths who have lost their lives to suicide.
It is these tragic losses that sparked Kayla, 19, to start up Save a Life organisation this month, following the most recent death of 17-year-old Berwick beauty Estelle Ametoglou.
“The main reason I put this together was because I can’t bear the thought of watching people go through the same pain I did losing someone close,” she said.
“I started the organisation in hope to let everyone know that they are never alone.
“After each loss, we all come together not just as a community but as a family.”
Through the organisation, Kayla said she hoped to spread awareness of the effects of depression and impact suicide can have on our community.
She has also teamed up with Windermere Child and Family Services Centre in Narre Warren to help raise money for a program they plan to introduce next year, which will involve going around to schools and speaking to children to let them know they are not alone. Since creating the organisation, about 750 people have joined the Save a Life Facebook group and Kayla has raised about $1000 in donations.
Kayla, along with the help of all those other people who have jumped on board, plan to host a number of fundraisers in the next few months including a local battle of the bands, raffles, tin days, sausage sizzles and promotional nights.
Kayla said while the money would be put to great use, awareness was the main focus on the agenda. “I can say with confidence that spreading awareness is our main priority,” she said.
“We don’t only want to show people that life is what you make it, but that each and every one of us deserves to be here.”
Kayla said the past year has been a rough one for many young people and families in the area.
“It’s not only upsetting but devastating, that we have all seemed to get used to losing the people we love,” she said.
“I am not only proud of the young people I know but envious of how strong some of them can be.
“It’s hard to explain in words what we have all been through over the past few years, not only with losing people to suicide but also losing many of our friends and family to car accidents.
“These young people had so much potential to go somewhere in life and deserved to be here more than anyone.”
Windermere marketing and events co-ordinator Kathryn Fisher, who has teamed up with Kayla as her mentor, said she believed what Kayla was doing was a great idea.
“She is wanting to put together a group of youths to try and stand up against the fight of youth suicide,” she said.
“Fundraising dollars are always great, but raising awareness will be by far the greatest achievement from this.”
Ms Fisher said the area had been bombarded with stories of youth suicide recently and it was a massive problem.
“We want to try and get information to youths while they are at school about looking for the signs and how they can get help,” she said.
“The money will be used to target that.
“There’s lots of great charities, but we want to make sure the money’s going locally, in their neighbourhood. Give where you live.”
Anyone wishing to make a donation to Save a Life can search for the Facebook group and get in contact with Kayla through.
She is in the process of setting up an online donation page with more details to come. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
