Damian Burke 30th Birthday Memorial Walk

It's hard to believe that my little brother Damian should be turning 30 this April. I wanted to do something to mark this special birthday in his memory that could include his family and friends so I've decided to organise a 5km memorial walk at Cloonfad Scenic Walks on Sunday 10th April at 12pm. As I'm sure most of you know since losing Damian I am passionate about raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention and so this walk will be done to help raise funds for a brilliant local service in Claremorris, Co. Mayo called Perspective.

Perspective is a mental health and wellbeing centre for children and adults. It was set up by Elaine Browne who is a mental health peer support worker. Elaine struggled with mental health from an early age, into her teens and hit a crisis point in her twenties. After leaving psychiatric services, Elaine embarked on her own path of healing, education and training and eventually found peer support and qualified to help others on the path of healing. Perspective and peer support is a dynamic approach to mental health and transforms the shame, secrecy and stigma of mental health into empowerment, personal responsibility and healing. The principles of peer support are in the equality of the relationship which allows safety for a person to open up and embark on a path of self discovery. Elaine is also a peer coach so teaches many techniques that are good practices for mental health.

Perspective has provided many hours of free support but as a developing non-funded centre this is not sustainable and so a sponsorship programme has been put in place this year where a person can be anonymously sponsored and receive peer support or peer coaching. All proceeds from this birthday memorial for Damian will go towards this programme.

Elaine, who is a family friend and someone Damian knew since he was a baby, says "I wish to acknowledge Damian and how honoured I feel to be part of this. There have been many fond memories for me visiting the Burke family and meeting Damian and his family. There was always laughter and chat through the years. To Damian, I wish him a heavenly 30th birthday as I remember his laugh and smile. A big thank you to Amanda and the Burke family for involving Perspective in this special birthday and to everyone who will support in different ways. I look forward to meeting you on the day. Elaine."

In doing this fundraiser I hope to spread the word that this wonderful service exists for anyone who might need it and hopefully raise some funds so Elaine can continue to run this service and provide confidential and sponsored peer support & peer coaching as needed.

Please share and donate anything you can. And if you're free Sunday 10th April at 12 we would love you to join us in remembering our Damian/Sticky on his 30th birthday ♥️