When at our lowest or when we are trying to get up and out of a trough of despair we often find we need help. In general, people need people – the helping hand makes a huge difference. It can be lifesaving. There is no greater legacy that anyone can have than to assist in the improving of the lot of others.

18 year old Yamatji born Lana Dodd is a fighter, survivor and a helping hand can make needed difference. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australia’s teenagers – disproportionately taking even more lives among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander teenagers. Officially, on average, one in 20 of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders deaths are by suicide, but according to my research, because of under-reporting, it could be as high as one in 10. Suicide is the tragedy that is the tip of an iceberg – of cumulative trauma, social ills. For every suicide there is estimated 40 attempted suicides, and thousands of hospital admissions for intentional self-harm.

According to those closest to her, Lana is still on ‘close watch’ but she is waging a positive journey through all this. Her positive steps and those of her family, friends and supporters is an example of people coming together. Yamatji Lana grew up firstly in Broome and then in Perth.

People need people.

Lana’s mentor, Perth local music scene guru, Charley Caruso said, “It breaks my heart, but with Lana’s permission, I can say Lana has survived childhood sexual, physical and emotional abuse.”

“She found herself in hospital and on suicide watch.” Lana had to deal with court proceedings that saw one of her abusers jailed, then her mother passed away. With her mother’s passing, Lana and her sister were homeless. Ms Caruso came to their aid.

“We of course changed our world to include these beautiful girls. We did this the minute we realised their predicament, their homelessness.”

Good on you Charley.

Then Ms Caruso and her partner took in Lana’s older brother who fell victim to an aneurysm however is recovering.

“Trauma is always ongoing and we are there for them, for Lana.”

“The one thing that lights up her world is music.”

“It is has been a beacon, a guiding light through all the trauma, a place of sunshine where the trauma is not a be all. We want to help Lana along with this passion.”

“Lana’s long-term goal is to keep on getting stronger and be able to study music production. Lana’s dream is to produce her own music.”

“Let us all help to make this happen.”

In the meantime, Ms Caruso is looking around for another home to rent “where the girls will have their own rooms” and where “Lana will have the space to delve into her music and leave behind the traumas.”

Ms Caruso has put together an online fundraiser to buy Lana a MacBook to allow her to record, produce her music from home.

“You will be helping another human being keep on taking the steps to health, happiness, to leaving the worst behind.”

Give Lana another minute more and go here to help – https://www.chuffed.org/project/help-lana-heal-through-music