Editorial: Brave mum's cry for help must be heard

Andrew Austin, Editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

Pain is etched on the face of Hana Reedy.

You can tell that she has suffered deeply.

It is not surprising when you hear her story. If it was not bad enough that her beloved 15-year-old daughter, Ariana, took her own life, she also feels let down by a mental health system she begged to help her daughter.

One cannot even begin to imagine her pain. The loss would be so great that there would be a danger that the parent themselves would become incapacitated.

The aching and the regret would be terrible.

But Hana Reedy is a special woman. She has decided to stand up and fight for her the memory of her daughter. She wants people in the same situation that her daughter was in to get help.

That is why on World Mental Health Day yesterday, Ms Reedy and her husband, Apimeleki Nasedra, presented a 30,000-signature petition to Parliament. They carried with them a photo of their daughter in their hands, sorrow and love for their daughter in their hearts, and a very important message for our politicians

Going to Parliament was clearly tough for her and at one point she burst into tears and admitted she was still struggling to cope after losing her daughter two months ago.

Ms Reedy's story of how she tried to get help for her daughter and failed is a worrying one. The system seems to have failed her and Ariana.

There is no doubt that there are wonderful mental health workers who do fantastic work, but we need a system that does not fail.

Our politicians need to work hard to improve the system so we do not lose another Ariana.

If you need help or feel you cannot cope there are many people you can call. Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7), Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) or Youthline: 0800 376 633 are just a few. See a full list on page 9 and don't be afraid to call.