WITH little more than a bike and a bathtub, Michael Willem is making his way around Australia to raise awareness and funding for beyondblue.
Passing through the Limestone Coast this week, Mr Willem has packed up his life and turned a bathtub into a bicycle trailer for the sake of his mental health in addition to helping others.
“I went through a tough marriage breakdown a few years ago, which led me to a dark place,” Mr Willem said.
“Once I started noticing signs of depression, I knew I had to get out and be active, otherwise I would spiral out of control.”
Mr Willem said the best advice he could give anyone going through depression was not to isolate yourself.
“Whether you join a sport, a community group or even get out and go hiking, you need to find something to keep yourself busy,” he said.
“It is obviously very important to speak to someone you trust about depression, but keeping your body active will stimulate your mind.”
Aiming to raise $1m in his lifetime and $250,000 this trip, Mr Willem will ride 20,000km over the next year.
His ride started in Wilson’s Promontory in Victoria over a month ago and will finish in Cape York by next May.
Although Mr Willem does not have a cycling background, he wanted to do something that would grab attention.
“I know there are a lot of people trying to raise money and awareness like I am,” he said.
“But I thought riding around the country would garner more attention than some of the other options.”
His bathtub turned trailer is a unique feature that Mr Willem said is piquing interest among the general public.
“I have had so many people pull me aside to ask about the bathtub,” he said.
“People have even pulled over on the side of the road to ask me what it is all about.
“Doing a trip like this will not only benefit beyondblue, but is also doing great things for my mental health.”
With a long way to go, Mr Willem is excited for the journey ahead.
“I have been lucky enough to meet so many great people already,” he said.
“So I can not wait for what the next year will bring.
“Plus once I finish I am planning on becoming a speaker with beyondblue so I can share my story and support as many people as possible.”
Mr Willem is a professional photographer and funding his trip by selling prints of his photographs at craft markets along the way.
Mr Willem is travelling between 50 and 100km on each leg and plans to head to Millicent from Mount Gambier today.
Visit give.everydayhero.com/au/onmywayup for more information and to keep up to date on Mr Willem’s travels.
