Race Against Suicide organiser Chloe Hackett with Illawarra Turf Club CEO Steven Keene, hospitality coordinator Bradie Brown and events officer Julieanne Horsman. Photo: Supplied.
When suicide hit close to home, Chloe Hackett transformed pain into action — launching a community race day at Kembla Grange that’s galloping toward real change in suicide prevention.
Illawarra Turf Club’s inaugural The Race Against Suicide Raceday on 21 June will combine the thrill of the track with a powerful purpose: to save lives and spark vital conversations.
As club operations manager, Chloe was led to create the event after her husband Ryan experienced the loss of a young staff member to suicide.
“It’s something I’ve always cared about and had been exposed to,” Chloe said.
“My best friend when I was 15 died by suicide, so that was something that has very much affected me and stayed with me over the years.
“My husband, who I’ve been with since I was 15, works in the mines and has had quite a few workmates that have died by suicide, and it has affected him a lot.
“Recently, he moved into a high management role, and it was one of his direct staff members that passed away, so it affected him on a different level than I had seen.”
Chloe said Ryan viewed him as a friend and felt as if he should have seen the signs as his direct manager.
“I felt quite useless that I couldn’t do anything,” she said.
“I couldn’t fix how he was feeling. I couldn’t fix how his other work colleagues were feeling.
“Hearing the story of this 29-year-old that passed away and left behind a wife that was also quite young, with three young children and was pregnant again, I just didn’t know how I could help.”
She said after speaking to club CEO Steven Keene, they came up with the idea of the race day.
Almost in parallel, the turf club hosted the funeral of well-known Wollongong Crane Truck owner Darren Mortimer, who lost his life to suicide. The funeral attracted 1500 people.
Chloe was introduced to Darren’s daughter Orlane, sharing the idea sparked by Ryan’s experience, and Orlane soon took the idea to the next level.
A subcommittee of people with lived experience was formed, and the event gained support from 12 Illawarra groups who work in the space, along with turf club board members, and the Mental Health Movement.
Chloe said since, the event had taken off like nothing she’d ever seen, with the official luncheon element of the day already sold out weeks beforehand, which was unheard of.
The Race Against Suicide poster. Photo: Supplied.
“The fact it’s gotten this big and this quickly, I think it’s going to be something that will continue every year,” she said, admitting she hoped it had the same impact Illawarra Convoy did.
“They (the board) loved the idea of not only helping raise money for this local family, but to help with that prevention and knowledge in the Illawarra.
“It’s to get the word out there on how you can get help and expose people to information before they feel like that’s the only option.
“For a lot of years, the word ‘suicide’ has been a bit of a taboo, and people don’t want to talk about it, especially men.”
Chloe said it was a chance to see the range of services available whatever stage of someone’s mental health journey they were at.
Organisations included Lifeline, the Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Man Walk, Healthier Illawarra Men, Women Illawarra and Racing Mates, run by Racing NSW.
“Not only are we trying to get the information out there for our community and families, we’re also looking at our industry, so we have them [Racing Mates] coming in for our jockeys, trainers, strappers and staff,” she said.
“The idea is that if we can get some information to even one person, and change one life or one family, then we’ve done our job.”
Chloe said its importance was continually reinforced to her, admitting when she first came up with the concept, within the space of 10 days seven males in the Illawarra had died by suicide.
She said she’d been “blown away” at the level of support for the event.
“It’s something I’ve never dealt with or felt in my working career,” she said.
“I’ve done a lot over all the different industries and jobs I’ve done, but this is something I’ve never seen or been a part of, and it’s pretty amazing how the Illawarra comes together.
“Even organisations that usually would slightly conflict, because they do the same thing, they’re putting all of that aside and seeing the bigger picture and working together.”
While the main ticketed function has sold out, different packages and general admission are still available.
“We want people here, even if they don’t have any money to spend,” she said.
Each organisation will have an information booth, and there will be a free kids activation area, food trucks, live music and guest speakers.
“We also acknowledge that it may be a bit of a hard day and topic for some people, so we will have Lifeline on-site with a bit of a break room,” she said.
The day feature eight races, with 100 per cent of race sponsorship profits donated to Illawarra suicide prevention efforts. Race seven will be the main race dedicated to the cause.
“All our horses will have a saddle cloth that will be in black and be marked Race Against Suicide,” she said.
Race Against Suicide will be held at Kembla Grange Racecourse on 21 June from 11 am, with prepurchased tickets available.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact:
Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978.
