By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
BERWICK best friends Fawn Brady and Jess White have taken another big step in their journey to help those struggling with depression.
A year since its inception, depression support and awareness group Kane’s Crusade held its inaugural trivia night last Saturday with over 250 people attending the Berwick Fields Primary School Gym where more than $18,000 was raised for the initiative.
The money will go back into Kane’s Crusade as the driving forces behind the group, Fawn and Jess, look to grow the project as much as they can.
Fawn and Jess began Kane’s Crusade last August after Fawn’s little brother, Kane, took his life. The project has been a constant source of inspiration for Fawn over the last 12 months, she told guests on Saturday during her speech.
“I can tell you that my brother Kane was a boxer when he was alive,” Fawn said.
“And like Kane I wake up and I put my gloves on and I go out and fight, I go out and fight for you, your brother, your uncle, your son. So I ask this of you all right here to fight this with me.”
Now Kane’s Crusade – which specialises in but isn’t restricted to helping young men – serves not just as Fawn’s inspiration but many in the community who have turned to her and Jess seeking help.
“Looking back on the year since we started Kane’s Crusade, this was something I never thought I’d do, then a year later I’m doing what I never planned,” Fawn said after the trivia night.
Among the 250 guests on Saturday were Casey CEO Mike Tyler and councillors Mick Morland, Amanda Stapledon, Rosalie Crestani and Susan Serey, as well as sponsor Paul Carter from Introfish.
A grand auction, a silent auction, raffles and games were part of the highlights throughout the night.
Fawn said the trivia night was a significant milestone in the journey of Kane’s Crusade and an important reminder of how far the group had come in such a short space of time.
The group’s Facebook page has now amassed more than 5000 likes in a year.
“We had corporate owners at the end of the evening coming up and saying they believe mental health in the workplace is so important,” she said.
“To have a man come up and say I didn’t understand depression but I do now is a win.”
Now formally trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Fawn and Jess have huge plans for Kane’s Crusade, including their hope of introducing an ‘ALIVE’ centre to the City of Casey – a facility specifically for people suffering from depression where they could get medical treatment, physiotherapy, alternative medicines and counselling all under one roof.
For more information on Kane’s Crusade visit www.facebook.com/Kanescrusade, or www.kanescrusade.net.
Those who need immediate assistance or need to talk to someone they can trust can visit beyondblue.org.au, call Suicide Helpline Victoria on 1300 651 257 or Lifeline on 131 119.
