Crusade for Connor
24th May - 10am - The Dock
Today’s guest article is not only a reminder of the heartache and tragedy that exists within the mental health space, but also the comradery and positivity that can emerge from the darkness. It is truly inspiring.
But first…
We’re releasing our second podcast this Friday and if you missed the first one, you can catch it below. We’ve already got some great conversations lined up for future episodes and if you’ve got any feedback, send it our way!
… and coming up!
It’s the topic of today’s guest article, and in a couple weeks you can show your support. Come along to The Dock, Kingston Foreshore, on the 24th of May at 10am and bring along as many friends and family as you can!
Crusade for Connor
A guest article from his mates
Connor was a much adored and admired person amongst people that knew him.
He was hilarious and also incredibly talented in many areas of life – musically gifted, a gun at footy, and academically inclined. He was someone who cared for and loved his friends and family dearly. He also deeply appreciated nature – its significance and beauty.
In his emerging adulthood, Connor experienced the onset of a range of diagnosed mental health challenges – with the most symptomatically complex of these being Schizophrenia.
With these cards dealt to him, things quickly became a lot harder in life causing him to lose passion for his hobbies, socially isolate himself and fall deeper into a spiral of negative emotions. Connor was resilient in the face of adversity – trying extremely hard to heal and move forward, however it became too much and eventually led to Connor taking his own life in December 2022.
It isn’t known what causes schizophrenia. Researchers believe it is a combination of genetics, brain chemistry and environmental factors. It is a lifelong condition that impacts about 1% of the population and requires ongoing management for life.
The loss of Connor caused immeasurable grief for many people in the community that knew him, none more so than his close family and friends. It was a result of this that a group of Connor’s best mates decided to create Crusade for Connor, a fundraiser raising much needed funds and awareness for NeuRA’s Schizophrenia research.
In 2023, the Crusade for Connor boys completed several physically and mentally demanding challenges that represented things Connor enjoyed. Events included completing a triathlon every day for 1 week, playing tennis for 24 hours straight, running the David Goggins challenge (4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours), busking for 12 hours straight and hiking Mt Kosciusko. As a result of these efforts, the fundraiser was a massive success, raising a total of $65,000 for NeuRA... The goal was $10,000.
In 2024, Crusade for Connor transitioned further into the awareness component holding a 5km walk / 10km run at The Dock to bring people together and raise more funds. With an initial goal of 100 people, a total of 220 people attended the event with a further $16,000 raised. Again, another amazing achievement and indication of the impact Connor has made.
In 2025, the 5km walk / 10km run will be taking place at The Dock on Saturday 24/05/25 at 10:00am. Our goal is to continue Connor’s legacy by bringing the community together and making meaningful change. As such, we would love to reach 300 attendees at this year’s event.
For more information about Crusade for Connor or to stay updated, please visit ‘Crusade for Connor’ on Facebook and Instagram. If you would like to sponsor this year’s event, please contact Luke at crusadeforconnor@gmail.com.