A 28-year-old man who has survived two bouts of cancer and come perilously close to losing his battle with his mental demons is set to undertake a 1,000-kilometre journey in his wheelchair.
Damon Jaenke's Push Away the Stigma trip will take him from Brisbane to Mackay, in North Queensland, where he says he hit his lowest point.
"I attempted to end my life," he said.
"I had a breakdown and everything added up to that one night.
"Now that I live in Brisbane, it's my happy place.
"So I am going to end at the place I attempted to end my life.
"It's a little bit of closure for me — I'm in a better place now and I am able to help people."
'When you are ready, speak up'
Mr Jaenke said the realisation that he needed help came in 2017, when he was watching what could have been his last sunset.
He said he was listening to a Linkin Park song, One More Light, when he made a decision.
"The lyric is, 'Who cares if one more light goes out? I do,'" Mr Jaenke said.
"At that moment something in my brain said, 'Drive yourself to the hospital.'"
Mr Jaenke said hospital staff sat him in a room and told him he could talk when he wanted.
"I opened up at about 3:00am and I didn't stop talking for five hours straight," he said.
"It was very tough but when I finished I felt 100 kilos lighter," he said.
"I felt like a different person."
After staying in hospital for a few days he moved in with his parents and worked daily to improve his mental and physical health.
Mr Jaenke says people have to be ready to accept help and that no-one can make you talk or admit you are struggling.
"When you are ready, speak up," he said.
Three weeks on the road
Mr Jaenke says the three-week journey will raise funds for the mental health charity, Livin, and will put his body to the test.
So far he has enlisted family, an exercise scientist and a physiotherapist to help him but he has still been looking for sponsors.
He said he will be preparing over the next 12 months for the effort and he is having to rebuild his shoulder strength.
"After 18 years of elite wheelchair basketball they are pretty wrecked," Mr Jaenke said.
"When I have my rest days I will run mental health workshops."
