Ride 4 Life Australia, Suicide Awareness Ride
14th October 2025
I want to highlight the herculean effort of an inspiring awesome foursome—the Ride 4 Life crew—who recently undertook a remarkable journey across Australia to raise awareness of mental health and promote suicide prevention. Death by suicide is a tragedy not only for those who take their own lives but also for their families, friends, colleagues and communities. Sadly, most Australians—me included—know someone who has died by suicide. According to Suicide Prevention Australia, more than seven million Australian adults are close to someone who has attempted suicide or who has died by suicide. While discussions around mental health have progressed, suicide remains largely taboo. According to Lifeline, the leading causes of suicide include psychological distress, financial pressures, emotional strain, loneliness, social isolation and relationship or family difficulties.
In 2023, 3,214 Australians lost their lives to suicide—an average of nine people every day. Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, and Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to die by suicide as non-Indigenous Australians. Most tragically, suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24. Much more than numbers, these statistics represent lives, futures and families lost forever. That is why initiatives like Ride 4 Life Australia are so important. I recently met the incredible Ride 4 Life team— Louise Ginn, Anna Allum, Sonia Beaden and Rachael Beaden—at Avondale University in Cooranbong, just days before they set off to Perth, from where they would begin their world-first 4,200-kilometre ride to Sydney on a quad tandem bike.
I followed their journey closely on social media and, as impressive as their reels, posts and videos looked, it was anything but a smooth ride. The team faced freezing conditions, relentless headwinds, broken spokes, flat tyres, overheating, clunky gears, thick fog and even what they called the "Bermuda Triangle for bicycle tyres", which is otherwise known as the Nullarbor Plain. There they became stranded after losing both tyres to a broken rim and hub. But, true to form, they met each setback with good humour and a can-do attitude. Their journey had its lighter moments from surprise roadside deliveries of homemade scones to inadvertently triggering a multi-agency response on day five when, having stopped to pump up a tyre, they were spotted by a busload of travelling mayors, who pulled over to cheer them on—as you do. Somehow that scene was reported as a bus crash with CPR in progress!
While I have no doubt that cycling across the continent on a tandem quad was hard yakka, the real work happened when the team stopped at schools, community events and local organisations to share their experiences and speak openly about mental health and suicide prevention. They highlighted the importance of reaching out, speaking up and having meaningful conversations that truly connect. They nailed home the message that "Every Life Counts" and "Mental Health Matters", championing their ultimate goal of "Zero suicides, it's as simple as that". Through their efforts, the Ride4Life crew raised more than $100,000 for Gotcha 4 Life—an organisation that develops preventative programs and resources to help Australians access support when they need it most. The Ride4Life journey underscores the urgent need to remove the shame and stigma surrounding mental health, depression and complex diagnoses.
People must know that help is available, recovery is possible, and life can be worth living even in the darkest times. The crew reached their finish line at Bondi on 10 October, where they shared a powerful message: "Always remember how much you are loved and valued, tap into your village and practise your mental fitness daily. Every life counts!" I wish I could have joined them at that time. That message was from Louise, Anna, Sonia and Rachael. I thank them for their extraordinary efforts to raise awareness, inspire hope and remind us all that every life is invaluable. I thank the four women and their support team for what they have just done.