Game of Life speaker beats the odds

GLAD TO LIVE: E Tu Kahikatea: The Game of Life co-ordinator Tirau Te Tau and youth speaker Ezra Stobbart.

Ezra Stobbart can't believe he's alive.

The 19-year-old will be one of the speakers at E Tu Kahikatea: The Game of Life -- a series of workshops and interactive activities around suicide prevention and awareness, to be held in Masterton this Saturday.

The event, organised by Kahungunu ki Wairarapa as part of its suicide prevention initiative, Te Kupenga o Wairarapa, will feature a video game, a balloon release, a scavenger hunt, and a mass haka.

It will be a joyous event to draw attention to a serious issue, one close to Ezra's heart.

As a guest speaker, Ezra will be sharing his personal journey with depression, including four suicide attempts -- each one he miraculously survived.

His last attempt was on August 6 this year, his birthday.

"Honestly, I'm not sure why I'm still here," he said.

"It should be medically and physically impossible that I survived -- I've beaten the odds.

"But, I guess I'm here for a purpose."

In his address, Ezra will be sharing some "little self-help tips" -- but also some home truths about suicide.

"When I was asked to speak, I thought, 'yeah, I've got a few things I need to say'.

"I need to push out of my comfort zone, and break the silence, because suicide is one of those things we hardly talk about -- and when we do, people get angry.

"Apparently, throughout the world a person dies by suicide every 40 seconds, so we need to speak out."

Ezra's speech will be one of several throughout the day, which will begin with a workshop on money management, lead by Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

This will be followed by a session for youth at Masterton Library, using the interactive resource SPARX, a fantasy video game to help young people battling depression.

"We thought the money management workshop was important, especially so close to Christmas," co-ordinator Tirau Te Tau said.

"Financial stress can be a major trigger."

After the morning workshops will be the "Game of Life" -- an Amazing Race-style activity with various stations in the Masterton CBD.

People can take part in activities, such as workouts at Genesis Recreation Centre, posing for Victorian-style portraits, writing future goals on balloons, a "beer goggles" obstacle course and a lesson in pottery.

Various organisations will be represented at each station, including Whaiora, Te Hauora, Compass Health, Rangatahi 2 Rangatira, the Wairarapa Youth Council, YMCA and Bully Free Me.

"It's a celebration of life," Ms Te Tau said.

"We spend so much time existing that we forget to live in the moment, and feel happy to be alive."

The day will end with a presentation at Aratoi from Rotorua author Heeni Morehu, whose book The Tree of Life explores the loss of her two teenage sons, the eldest in a car crash and youngest by suicide two years later.

Ezra's presentation will follow, and will include a performance from kapa haka troupe Wairarapa Ki Uta Ki Tai of a haka Ezra wrote at age 10.

"When I wrote it, I was being bullied a crapload," he said.

"Bullying is one of the main causes of suicide -- so the haka is basically saying, 'watch out, bullies -- what you're doing is killing people'."

E Tu Kahikatea: The Game of Life will begin on Saturday September 26, with workshops from 10am-12pm. The Game of Life Event will run from midday to 3pm, and the Aratoi presentation will start at 6pm. For more information, and to book a place at the evening presentation, call Tirau Te Tau on 06 377 5436.