Newhaven Funerals - Phil Connolly	Fruits of Life- Ross &Emmanuel
Straddie Kingfisher Tours - Dave Thelander	Garden City
Dr Murray Anderson	Woolworths Garden City
Cr Judy Magub	Carina Leagues Club Ltd
Yellow Cabs	Brisbane Lions Soccer Club
Craig Emerson MP	Browns Plains Hotel
Trev & Debb Mason S.A.	Caroline Odgers Melbourne
James Parnell	Glenn Honey for supplying most of the items on our wish list
Brisbane Womens Soccer Assoc Inc	Balloons Above - Jason & Sharon Harm
Yeronga Football Club	Australian Multiplex Cinemas
Nestle Australia Ltd	NWJ Jewellers
Nando's,	Algester Sports Inc
Denmac Ford	The Australian Woolshed
Stylers Body Works	Amalgamated Confectionery Springwood - Martin Leigh
Kirwanis Club of Brisbane Inc	Kimberely Park State School, for holding a "Gold Coin Day" and raising funds
The Bower Bird Shop - Gail Webb	Ruth Avenell - Logan City
The Markets West End Shopping Centre - Jane Pocock

Index Self Storage, Sherwood, Qld	Browns Plains Hotel
Indooroopilly Shopping Centre	Hopgood & Ganim
Hyperdome Loganholme	Grand Plaza Shopping Centre
Brisbane Tuning & Turbo Centre Woolloongabba	The Warehouse
Capalaba Central Shopping Centre	· Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund
Bi Lo Store Woodridge	Sunnybank Plaza Centre Management
Inala Town Centre

Mrs F Clark Director White Wreath Association Inc PO Box 1078 BROWNS PLAINS QLD 4118 Dear Mrs Clark Once again, I would like to thank you, Pam and Andrea for meeting with me and my colleagues from the Mental Health Unit. I would particularly like to thank Pam for sharing her personal experience with me, and would ask you to pass on to her my personal thanks and best wishes. Clearly, the issues behind suicide are very complex, and the solutions to reducing suicide are no less complex. However, I think it is also clear that the family and support agencies such as the White Wreath Association will always play an important role in finding these solutions. In this light, we will be happy to include the White Wreath Association in our consultation process as we finalise our State-wide guidelines for the assessment of people presenting with suicidal risk. We will be contacting you regarding this in the next few months. I look forward to the Mental Health Unit working together with the White Wreath Association. Yours sincerely Dr Arnold Waugh A/Director of Mental Health

Understanding the Philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine takes many years of training. I am not trying to suggest this process is over complicated but the first step is to turn away from Western Medicine for a while, and learn to look at things in other ways. We are taught from a young age that when you are ill, you “go to the doctor”. We are not taught to take responsibility for our health. We are not taught that disease is actually dis-ease, and this is one of the reasons that any system outside the western medicine system is labelled “alternate”. Yes, it is alternate, and I am so happy such a system is out there. However, be aware that, like the medical profession, there are great, good, average and poor practitioners. Naturopaths, Homoeopaths and Herbalists are trained to understand the way herbal remedies are an alternative to prescription drugs and chemicals. Chinese Acupuncture aims at restoring the order and balance to the meridians of the bodies organ system. Iridology and Reflexology are accepted methods of diagnosis of the body system. Chiropractic is a proven system for correcting disharmony in the body – and I could go on. There is much information out there. I find that the shortage is in good teachers and educators, and an excess of students who incorrectly think that alternate medicine is a warm and rosy feel good industry. This body of ours is an amazing unit and it tells us many thinks – it never lies! It is my belief that we don’t understand what it is telling us. If only all injuries to the body were physical! We get tackled in life physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and metaphysically. All this shows up in our health. If you have read this and have come to the conclusion that we create our own good health or ill health, I have done my job. But hold on, this means there is an implication that we must take responsibility – Right on! Ill health doesn’t come from dust from Mars! I am not dismissing such things as viruses – but we all know they don’t affect everyone! Have you noticed that when things are going great, you don’t get sick?

HAMISH ROBERTSON For decades, China's Communist rulers have overlooked the country's staggering suicide rate. Each year, it's estimated that about 280,000 people kill themselves and a further two million try, in a nation whose modern founders believed could become an ordinary person's Utopia. As our China Correspondent John Taylor reports from Beijing, that the extent of China's suicide crisis is now being officially recognised, with work beginning on a national suicide prevention plan. JOHN TAYLOR Tears streamed down her face as Qing Zhijiang spoke about the suicide of her 14 year-old son, one year ago. QING ZHIJIANG (translated) I have always been confused why such a thing happened to my family and to my son. After my son died, my previously happy family is now falling apart. JOHN TAYLOR Mrs Qing was speaking in front of a packed suicide conference in Beijing, attended by Chinese and international health experts, and various government officials. China appears to be finally starting to address one of its most serious health issues – suicide. Local and International health authorities, and government officials, have this week begun work drafting a national suicide prevention plan. Dr Michael Phillips from the Beijing Suicide Research and Prevention Centre says China is grappling with an enormous problem. MICHAEL PHILLIPS Relatively speaking suicide is a more important public health problem than in many other than in any other countries. For example, nationally by our estimates, suicide is the 5th most important cause of death and in the young productive years of life, 15-34, it's the number one cause of death, and so proportionately, suicide in China is more important than in many developed countries and so we need to start working on this problem. We've been a little late in starting, but now the government is on board and a number of research projects and hopefully through this meeting we will be able to establish a national suicide prevention plan. JOHN TAYLOR China's suicide rate is highest in the countryside. And women, particularly nyoug women, are killing themselves in greater numbers than men. Most people die a gruesome death; nearly 60 per cent by ingesting pesticides. Dr Henk Bekedam, the World Health Organisation's representative in Beijing, says action to address China's suicide crisis is overdue. HENK BEKEDAM More than 100,000 people die every year from intentional or accidental intoxication of pesticides. These figures cannot be ignored, nor remain without an appropriate response. JOHN TAYLOR Millions of tears are shed in China every year because of suicide – by people driven to despair and the loved ones they leave behind. Every year about 1 and half million people are estimated to be touched by the loss of a family member or friend. Experts says China is at the beginning stages of reducing its suicide rate, but at least it's a beginning. This is John Taylor in Beijing, for The World Today

I am a student at UQ I am studying for a graduate diploma of health studies, I am specialising in loss and grief. I have chosen to do this particular course because I lost my son through suicide in 1998. I like you spent many hours and phone calls trying to get help for my son. I was told it was none of my business, I said because I was his next of kin it would become my business if he died because I would then become responsible for the cost of his funeral. After my son died I too became very angry at a system that does little to prevent the deaths of people who are dying of pain although a not recognised pain. I have now been supporting people bereaved by suicide for four years. Part of that has been because people have contacted me because they knew I was willing to support others part of it was because I was a member of another organisation. I have become so disillusioned with the organisation because it focuses mainly on post suicide support. I want to help reduce the numbers. Before I retired I worked for a state government funding body, I was also a community worker for 20 years as I have a diploma in social science. I am interested in referring people to your organisation, supporting newly bereaved parents and concentrating on having the government realise their duty of care to the people of our community who dangerously suffer their pain in silence and are not given the assistance they so desperately need. I live in Ipswich and we seem to have a fairly high incidence of suicide in our area. Can you send me some information on your organisation?

To whom it may concern, I work with state school chaplains throughout Qld. We currently employ 130 chaplains around the state. I was a chaplain myself for over 6 years at a SHS in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. Earlier this year, I was involved in supporting the family, friends & staff of a Yr 12 student who committed suicide. Through my involvement in this situation, I've also been asked to be involved with a White Wreath Day in Kingaroy (rural Qld) next year. I was also on the steering committee for the Suicide Prevention Australia National Conference in Brisbane earlier this year. I'd appreciate being added to your email mailing list so that I can forward relevant information to chaplains. Warm regards, Brad Suosaari Chaplaincy Development

Our school is a small Catholic primary school in the Torres Strait. Congratulations on the work you are doing. It would be good for our primary teachers to know about your organisation because sometimes primary teachers can identify students at quite an early age who may be at risk. Any information which may contribute to the building up of knowledge of students etc is welcome.

Have just looked briefly at the newsletter. As well as being a youth worker I of course have a family. My 33 yr old son has Bi-Polar disorder (early drug use.) I will spend more time reading the articles. I have experienced similar difficulties with the mental health system with clients and my own son, his across states NSW Qld Vic and Tasmania. Keep up the fight.		I recently wrote to you asking about the possibility of obtaining a wreath for a very close friends funeral. Unfortunately I was unable to organise the funds to get the wreath in time. I have found that there are a great number of people out there who have been affected by suicide in some manner or another at some stage during their lives and very few of them know about, or have heard of the White Wreath Foundation. My friend was also the biggest fan of the band I am in. I have been trying to think of ways that I can help to promote the White Wreath Association. I have been thinking about the possibility of organising a day for a bunch of local bands to get together and hold a concert of sorts to promote and raise money for the White Wreath Association. Our band was deeply affected by the suicide of our young friend and played at his wake. I am planning on putting a memorial page on the Band's website as a tribute to him along with links to the White Wreath Association website. Please let me know if we could help by holding such a concert as I feel very strongly about this and would be interested in helping to organise the bands for the day. I am a member of another volunteer group, so I know how hard it is to get things happening and done. I would volunteer to help out myself but unfortunately I could not commit to being available which is why I am offering to organise this concert. If I can use my contacts etc to further promote WWA it is some small way I can help. I am hoping to get as much publicity as possible for you through this concert, either the possibility of the bands who are participating to continue to publicise WWA through their own websites, gig, fan bases etc. My own personal experience with Logan hospital was not good. I had been taken to the emergency department by my now husband after an attempted suicide. I was admitted immediately, my husband was not allowed to be with me while I was assessed etc and I was released days later without any further treatment by psychiatrists etc. I was not even asked why. The truth of the matter was that I had been in an abusive relationship, left my abusive ex, been stalked by him for 3 months and then he had kidnapped my son. I am happy to say I am very much recovered from my depression and suicidal tendencies. I have put it all behind me and have my son back with me as well. Since putting the word out yesterday about the possibility of a concert to support the WWA I have 3 bands, including my own who have put their hands up, plus numerous other solo artists, I have also had one Adelaide band email me that if they were in Brisbane they would be in it will bells on! It is still early and I find it encouraging to have such an immediate response. It will be wonderful if this continues and we can get as many as possible, covering as many genres as possible to attract more people to come to the concert.
Hello White Wreath organisation, I notice on your website that you indicate NSW has released a report on Suicide and Risk taking deaths of children and young people. As I am with a company that delivers training in mental health first aid, improving mental health awareness and decreasing the stigma attached to mental disorders can you provide me with the contact details of someone from whom I could access this report (or website where I can download it from). I also notice you run the White Wreath day on the 29 May - do you conduct any activities in the NSW regional areas such as Wagga, Griffith, Goulbourn etc and indeed Canberra? Do the regions, if any, organise weeklong style events? Thank you for your assistance in advance.
I have been a Chaplain for 6 years. During this time I have worked with families directly affected by the loss of loved ones to suicide. It is at these times that I appreciate the role I can play in helping these families. Recently my wife and I moved house and had to give away our little dog. We searched for new owners and heard about a 14-year girl who was doing it tough. We met with her and gave her our little dog. L ess than 2 weeks later her mother found her at the end of a rope. Her mum in the midst of her grief took the time to write and thank us for the dog as it meant she was able to have recent photos of her beloved daughter holding it. I cannot encourage you enough as you fight for awareness of your cause. The hardest thing I've ever done as a chaplain is bury a good friend and former student who struggled with depression. Please keep me informed as to ways we can help. There is a course run by Claude Boulenauz on suicide intervention. This course has helped me in my role. Perhaps you could give it a plug on your site. Keep up the good work. You website highlights the need for our nation to help. Take Care
		I am the school counsellor. Earlier this year a yr 9 boy from this school suicided at home. 4 years ago I lost a younger brother in the United States to suicide. The issue of self harm needs thoughtful, concerted attention and I applaud your efforts. Thank you.

My son suicided in June 1998, it is now over five years and the fight to have the community, society, and particularly government bodies understand that each suicide death is preventable continues. Two weeks before my son died he told me finally what had driven his depression and mental disorder for most of his life. My son told me the story of the sexual abuse that he had suffered when he was 8. My son was one of six children and all had tertiary education, all were successful at their chosen professions. My son was a young man who had been one of the winners of the First International Young Playwrights Festival. He wrote a play and that play was produced and directed by John Bell at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. My son had written other plays and poetry that were published in various publications. He was a bright, intelligent young man who had mentors including David Hammill, former member of the state government. In the weeks leading up to the 1998 election he interviewed members of the then state government, Labour candidates and members of the Aboriginal leadership for a commentary on the election for 3zzz. I still have a copy of that production. When my son told me his story, he was in desperate emotional trouble and turmoil, I having worked in the welfare industry for a number of years and had done some work in the mental health area in this state knew we were losing him. I telephoned numerous government and non-government organizations with his consent trying to get assistance for him. I was told quite openly that as I was only his mother I had no rights. After being told this many times I said to one social worker, "my son is going to kill himself and you tell me I have no rights, when he dies, as his next of kin, you the state government organizations will expect my to bury him”. Three weeks later after my son was found hanged. Within 24 hours the Queensland Police told me I needed to make arrangements to have a funeral director claim his body from the John Tongue Centre. It was my responsibility to bury my son. This I did. After my son died it took me two years to explore the story he told me, I went out onto the streets in Brisbane talking to people who knew my son, people from Qld University, street people, and dozens of others. I asked so many questions that eventually I received a telephone call from a person warning me off because I was asking too many questions. It took me two years before I could even begin to come to terms with what I discovered about the system in Queensland. I even found out that a well-known barrister had taken advantage of my son's sexual confusion to blackmail my son into a sexual relationship with my son and this same barrister that had defended him in court was alleged to have introduced my son to heroin. Two years it took before I could even begin to think about the other circumstances of my son’s death. The heath system, the mental health system, the state government let my son down. I found police officers who in the months before my son’s death tried desperately to get help for my son and found the system would not let them. I believe that the State Government has a duty of care to people like my son and death by suicide is preventable, people who suicide are ill, just like someone who has cancer, the inability to have their pain recognised and treated at a time when they are so ill is a fault of the Qld Government health system. Now I have learnt that because I did not lodge a complaint with the Health Rights Commission in Qld within 12 months I still have no rights. I would like the Qld Health system to tell me why it is that I have all the rights to bury my sons body, to have to pay for that funeral, why I did not have the right to enjoy a relationship with my son for the rest of my life? I stood by my son and loved and supported him until the day of his death. I love him still, I will live with the knowledge of my sons death from an illness caused by a violent perpetrator who sexually abused him when he was 8. The irony is the system still protects the perpetrator but not me. My son had been hospitalised after his first suicide attempt when he was 18. When I told the doctor my son was depressed and suicidal and would eventually kill himself I was told I did not know that to be true. My son finally succeeded at the age of 31, we were not assisted in anyway by the health system in Qld and now I still have no rights except the right of being bereft of my son. It takes longer than twelve months for any family to come to terms with the loss, let alone find the energy to complain about a system that is not working. It took me two years to just get over the disclosure of sexual abuse. Since my son died I have supported many people who have been bereaved by suicide and I can tell you that each story has elements of neglect by state government bodies to intervene and save lives. The state government has a duty of care to all of its citizens most importantly those whom cannot help themselves. A society is judged by the way it responds to those who cannot speak for themselves because they are too ill. People who suicide do not want to die they just want relief from the pain. It was great speaking over the phone to you this afternoon. However, the public phone kept cutting me off even I had put sufficient coins to it. It was a shame that I called again, it was engaged.

Firstly let me introduce myself. I am a student just completed my first year in my social science degree and am here in Brisbane to do my fieldwork attachment in a nursing home since 17th November 2003. I get to know about your organization through the booth you set up in Sunny Bank Plaza. I was attended by this wonderful lady of yours who explained the good work which the organization is doing for people in crisis and have tendency in suicide. My work experiences comes from working with elderly, people who suffered from different mental disorders, disabled children, terminally ill patient in areas of counselling, medication monitoring, event planning as well as applying various form of grants from government for the needy from the group of people I worked with as well as referral from people who knows my nature of works. The government grant include from medi-fund to public housing. I am looking for self-development in workshops and short term courses which I could learn more about people in crisis such as what your organization is involving. I have been to the website and learn more about the organization. For voluntary services if you find me suitable you could contact me as well. I will be glad to offer my service in anyway. I will be departing from Brisbane on 15th Jan 2004. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.

WWA  Website Guest Book www.whitewreath.com 24/9/03 Gold Coast My husband hung himself 2 years and 4 months ago and the pain is still so bad that I find normal life difficult. We have 2 beautiful daughters that he was so proud of. They have been a wonderful support to me and I have had a couple of friends stick by me but on the whole it has been the reaction of family and old friends that has torn my life apart. Jeff’s family have not spoken to us since my daughter rang to let them know. They even ran from me when I approached them at the funeral. It is very hard to not carry guilt when others treat you this way. Jeff had never discussed suicide with me although he had cyclical depression. I have reached a point where I don’t really know what to do about turning my life around. I have paid top price for a few counselling sessions but apart from that us survivors are left to fend for ourselves. Why doesn’t anyone contact families??? In desperation tonight I thought I’d check the Internet. It has been so heartening to see these comments. I feel something like I might be normal. I took a transfer at work because a small section of the workplace clientele took every opportunity to bring my “personal problems” into my every actions. So now in my daily life I live in the shroud of secrecy so my working life is viewed normally. That means I now don’t even have my colleagues to understand when things are tough but at least the other problems ceases. The stigma is real – believe me. How can the cycle be broken though? Sometimes I wish he had died in a train crash or terror attack so there would be some help. Thank you to everyone who have put their thoughts down. It brings some comfort and hope to know you are not alone. 13/10/03 Gold Coast It has been 1 year and 6 days since I lost my beautiful brother “Mathew”. On October 7 we finally laid Mathew to rest, Mum and I have for the past 2 weeks getting his pond ready. It has been so hard leading up to and including the first anniversary. But we did it and I hope Mathew is at peace finally, I think I feel a little better, I went to the house as you would know Mathew and laid a dried rose from your arrangement last year. I will never go there again as I want to remember your beautiful smile and loving nature. It is still so sad to look at your photo, but I can talk about you easier than I could. I will never stop aching to see, hear or hug you again. But I really hope you are at peace now. Love Christie xxxxxxxxxx 22/10/03 Sweden Hi, I found your beautiful Web Site by surfing on the Internet, and I wish you the best that you can get, the peace of God through Jesus Christ. Welcome to visit my Site. 1/11/03 Brisbane My mother-in-law Sybil committed suicide this week, and we are finding it very hard to deal with, we are yet to say our final goodbyes, which will happen next week, 4 November 2003, she will be finally at peace. I went to my local Shopping Centre this week at Browns Plains where there was a stand where I found out about this organisation and what it had to offer, and I want to take this opportunity to thank your organisation as you have come into our life at the right moment. The White Wreaths you have is just truly amazing and we intend on wearing them at her funeral, as a sign of respect not only to her but to all those lost by suicide. To those of you who have lost someone I truly am sorry and if you wish to talk to me feel free to drop me a line at my email, as I feel the more support we get from people that KNOW what we are going through the easier the grieving process will be for all. 1/11/03 Canada Hi Vicki and James, I am so very sorry to have heard what happened. I lost my 14 year old brother to suicide 7 years ago will be in July 21. I still miss him very much, think about him every holiday, birthdays and mostly his anniversary day. But the first year is hard, but I do promise you, it does get better, it will be empty but time heals all wound. Vicki I’m just an email away. James am thinking of you and I am so very sorry…hugs and kisses to both of your kids…Love ya 3/11/03 Australia Hi everyone, I have tried to commit suicide a number of times. But when I stopped and thought about it I kinda think not to do it. I have lost a family member by suicide and I don’t really want my family to endure the same pain when we lost our brother. I still am suicidal and I pray that I can endure life and live. 9/11/03 Wagga I like this website 13/11/03 Unknown Thanks for making this site as I lost my baby sister to suicide on 25/10/03. She saved me from attempted suicide 17 years ago and I’m not sure I can live with the guilt that I couldn’t return the help. 2/12/03 Portland Vic I stumbled across this site today, and was amazed at all the facts that are noted. My Grandfather committed suicide in 1989, and back then there wasn’t a lot of help about apart from Counsellors who made the family feel worse, it’s great to see an organisation harness new technology to all, at no cost, when I think about it we spend hundreds of dollars on Counselling and for what??? Keep up the great work 10/12/2003 Perth WA My mother took her life in February this year in England. The pain was unimaginable especially when I was on the other side of the world from the rest of the family. I have coped reasonably well however over the last few months have felt a lot of anger against her for not talking about it more and at society in general for not caring enough. The warning signs are there but most people bury their heads in the sand. My brothers and sisters have all had to deal with the issues more upfront than I as they live in the area but they have each other. Being in another country and no family it has been hard for me to understand. I’m a mazed at how many people have been through the same as me and it’s comforting to know I am not alone and that my feelings of anger and guilt are normal. My next step is to attend a support group, which I think would be better than paying for a counsellor. The best people to help are those who have been through it. Many thanks for your info. 27/12/03 Tennesee USA My father shot himself 9/10/03 he was my best friend I miss him dearly! Came to your site looking for help. Thank you for your time. ANDREW 3/1/04 Burringbar NSW My one and only precious baby brother Brad took his own life on 10/12/2003, he was 29 years old. I have been busy looking on the Internet and reading lots of stories about suicide and am greatly saddened by them all and did not realise just how big a problem it is. I was naive in thinking this ugly monster (suicide) wouldn’t rear its head in my life and take from me my Brad. The many unanswered questions and the WHY? torment me and make me feel angry and heartbroken. I know I am not alone and there are many many people out there who are struggling with these same feelings. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH BRAD, AND WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU, SOMEONE LIKE YOU WILL NEVER EVER BE FORGOTTEN BY ALL WHO NEW AND LOVED YOU SO DEARLY. HUGS AND KISSES. WENDY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 5/1/04 Washington USA Hey Dad; it’s hard to believe that it’s 16 years since you died. I was busy doing something today and it hit me like a ton of bricks that this is your anniversary. I have come along way in working through your death; 16 years later I can honestly say I forgive you. My children are beautiful and I know how proud you would have been of them; it is their brilliance that has brought me to complete healing over the pain that I had when you took your life, their little cherub hands worked hard at making it better for mommy and they removed my pain over time with their laughter. I had a great Christmas Dad and it was the first Christmas that I’ve talked about you in a long time. Only this time when I talked about you it wasn’t about bad icky memories, it was memories of the heart, memories from the love you instilled in me years ago, love that I had buried with my own selfishness. Rest in Peace Daddy. Love Karen.

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