A CARLISLE woman has spoken of her determination to turn the spotlight on suicide as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Lisa Birdsall juggles her full-time work with a very personal mission.
This year she takes up a new role as a lived experience advisor for the NHS and is working on her latest idea – to launch an awareness and fundraising walk in Carlisle called Stride Against Suicide, which she plans to walk 5k around Bitts Park raising funds for Papyrus, Samaritans and Every Life Matters.
Lisa has achieved a remarkable personal turnaround over the past five years.
Diagnosed as bipolar, she struggled with her mental health from her late teens including periods of depression, eating disorder and a suicide attempt.
Lisa also survived the suicide of her only sibling, her brother Stephen in 2015.
At The Cumberland, Lisa is an operations team leader in the premises department but alongside that, she is also one of the building society’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions.
She works with 18 other volunteer colleagues to raise awareness and to
help anyone within the business who may be having difficulties.
“I’m hugely proud of what we have done as a team. And I’m proud of The
Cumberland for their forward thinking and a really quite pioneering approach.
“I have suffered, myself, with my mental health and I understand just how vital it is to have that support and for it to be recognized that people’s mental health is important," she said.
Outside work Lisa is even more busy. She takes part in a scheme called Suicide Safer Communities which aims to raise awareness and understanding across Cumbria as well as being a volunteer by Carleton Clinic mental health service in Carlisle.
Ahead of Stride Against Suicide, Lisa said: "I’m in the planning stage, and would like it to happen in Carlisle. I’m thinking Bitts Park for a walk of five kilometers.
“It is so important to have that education out there and have people with real stories to tell and stories that show it’s a journey you can go on, but things will get better.
“Obviously losing my brother the way that I did plays huge role in why I do what I do. I want to make the issue of mental health more normal and less shameful and hidden.
"It's always on my mind – what more can we do to help," she said.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
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