03/04/2026
“Walking didn’t just change my life — it helped save it.”
🌊 The Nic Effect
Two Nicoles. One Walk. One Purpose. For the many — the ones who are struggling quietly.
This walk is deeply personal to me.
Walking saved my life.
Four years ago, I walked 35km to raise money for women’s breast cancer with a friend — but the truth is, I was walking to save my life from suicidal depression.
Four years on, I get to walk another 30km.
This time with a different friend, for a different cause.
This time, I’m not walking to save my life…
I’m walking to honour my life, my recovery, and to offer hope to those who are still struggling.
Not in one big moment — but in the small ones.
Step by step, I found my way back to hope, strength, wellness and wholeness.
There were moments where everything felt heavy, unclear, and overwhelming…
and putting one foot in front of the other was the only thing that helped me keep going each day.
That’s why this matters so much.
This July, my friend Nicole and I — two Nicoles, one walk, one purpose — are taking on 30km with Coastrek, proudly supporting Beyond Blue.
We’re not just walking for fitness.
We’re walking for mental health — for the people who look okay on the outside, but are struggling quietly on the inside.
Through our work, our families, and our own lived experience, we know how real this is.
In Australia, around 5 million people are living with anxiety and depression, and nearly half of us will experience a mental health condition in our lifetime. Every single day, hundreds of people reach out for support — because sometimes, it all just feels too much.
And sometimes… a conversation can change everything.
It can even save a life.
That’s what your support helps create.
On average, $66 can help start a life-changing conversation with a trained professional — a moment where someone feels heard, seen, supported, and not alone.
Our 30km walk represents more than distance.
It represents the unseen battles.
The long days.
The quiet resilience it takes to keep going.
There will be training, early mornings, sore legs, sand, and probably a few blisters…
But there will also be connection, purpose, and the reminder that movement, sunshine, water, whole food, sleep, purpose, and support can genuinely change — and save — lives.
If this walk helps even one person feel less alone, it is worth every single step.
If you feel called to support us, we would be so grateful.
Donate if you can.
Share if it resonates.
And check in on someone you care about.
Because sometimes the strongest people…
are the ones fighting battles you can’t see.
If this speaks to you, click the link to donate — every step is for someone who needs it.
https://www.coastrek.com.au/fundraisers/nicoleoneill/sunshine-coast-30km-2026
With gratitude,
Nicole & Nicole 💛
