– Around 1 million Australians experience PTSD in any given year.
– 12% of Australians will experience PTSD in their lifetime.
– 20% of serving Australian Defence Force personnel have PTSD.
– Every six weeks in Australia, one police officer, paramedic or fire fighter commits suicide because of PTSD.
– The number of Australian young veterans taking their own lives is three times the total combat deaths in Afghanistan.
– Over 3000 young veterans sleep rough across Australia every night.
Project Kokoda is a group of everyday, committed Australians, who strongly believe that to truly honour the fallen, we must look after the returned and that more attention needs to be paid to PTSD and the other scars of war.
We came together with the aim of trekking the Kokoda Trail and in the process raise awareness about PTSD in young veterans and emergency personnel while highlighting its significant impact on the broader Australian community.
We will start to trek Kokoda on 2nd November 2015 and complete in on Remembrance Day, 11th November 2015. This way, we will pay respect to the sacrifices of the fallen and raise awareness about PTSD and funds for charities that are helping people dealing with its effects. We will both honour the fallen, and help to look after the return.
We have united four distinct non-profit organisations in the key areas of research (Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health), rehabilitation (Home for Heroes), emotional companionship (Assistance Dogs Australia) and family support (Legacy) in one targeted campaign to shine a light on the range of issues associated with PTSD.
The goal is to raise $100,000 and help to fund four distinct projects related to PTSD Research, PTSD Support and PTSD Family Support. 100% of all funds raised will be split equally among the four charities to fund their respective projects. For more information on Project Kokoda and details on how to donate to the charities, please visit: www.ProjectKokoda.org
But, before we can achieve any of the above, we need to trek the Kokoda Trail!
This crowd funding campaign is to help us get to Kokoda (and back!). This is to help defray some of the costs associated with undertaking the trek. The trekkers come from all different abilities, backgrounds and stages in life. The costs are prohibitive for some and without your help some of them will not be able to take part in this life changing experience. By helping us, you will be helping many more others in the process. For some, this is a life changing experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
We believe that Project Kokoda is a profound leadership experience that will have a personal and spiritual impact on each of the trekkers. It is more a pilgrimage than just a trek.
Please help us get to Kokoda!
Each trekker is taking his or her own time to complete the trek. They have taken annual leave and are contributing their own time, money and energy to make Project Kokoda a success.
We would love to raise $30,000. This will enable us the 15 trekkers to complete the trail and raise enough to take a young veteran or emergency service personnel with PTSD on a life changing experience.
PJ Shanmugan – @shanmugan
Rhys Jack – @rjack888
Siobhan Baird
Ryan Dalzeli – @RyanDalziel_
Donna Jack – @donnajack14
Garry Jack – @jimmyjack244
Ben Jackson
Brett Leonard – @brett2472
Kathryn Mesiti
Mandy Pargeter
Joann Rutherford
Adrian Tamone
Richard Thompson
Edward Turner