Rotorua Hope Walk: Breaking stigmas and remembering loved ones

More than 200 people took part in the 2.5km long Hope Walk in Rotorua on Saturday.

Dennise Cook's 25-year-old son Nicolas died two months ago.

Dennise, her husband Donald Cook and daughter Natasha Cook, were at the Hope Walk in Rotorua on Saturday, an annual event held to bring about greater awareness around the issues of depression and suicide, and to promote suicide prevention.

"We're coping. Slowly getting there, day by day," Dennise told the Rotorua Daily Post.

She said the Hope Walk was part of that coping process.

"It just gives you that little bit of incentive to carry on with everyday life and hopefully try and help others go through it."

Dennise said she had met a woman at the Hope Walk who lost her daughter about 10 days after Nicolas' death.

"So we had a good talk on the way around, so yeah, it was really good."

More than 200 people took part in the 2.5km walk, which started at the Village Green and headed towards the Lakefront.

Most people were wearing yellow, the international colour for suicide awareness.

More than 200 people took part in the 2.5km long Hope Walk in Rotorua on Saturday. Photo / Andrew Warner

The event's organiser Christine Tomasevich said it was great that people could get together, support each other and talk to each other.

"Pretty much everybody that was here was here because they've lost somebody to suicide," she said.

"We want to raise awareness of depression and suicide and suicide prevention and try to remove the stigma that is attached to suicide and the shame that families feel when they lose somebody. There's no need to feel shame."

A teenager and her mum were at the walk.

The 17-year-old said she had struggled with depression and anxiety and various other mental illnesses and found the Hope Walk "empowering".

"I feel like it's very stigmatised and I feel like walks like this break the stigma. I know that if it wasn't so stigmatised I would have had help a lot earlier and my issues wouldn't have been as severe."

Constance Jefferson, 17, and her mum Silvia were at the Hope Walk in Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner

She said she was surprised by how many other young people were there.

"I think it's a good thing because, in a way, I think that the more that it's recognised, the more people will ask for help, and then they have more chance of getting help before it gets really severe."

WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:
• 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202