NSW celebrities back ocsober
Monday, 24 Sep 2018
During the month of October, approximately 80 young Australians will die through preventable causes. In fact, three quarters of deaths among young people aged 15–24 are avoidable. The three leading causes of death in this age group are suicide, road deaths and drug overdose.
Ocsober is a national fundraising initiative by Life Ed to reduce drug and alcohol related harm in young people.
This year, we are thrilled to announce that Australian actor Claudia Karvan, Ladies who League Founder Mary Konstantopoulos, and GP and Presenter Dr Sam Hay have come on board as NSW Ocsober ambassadors.
Join them in losing the booze this October so more children in NSW can receive our vital health and safety program. Because every child deserves the best opportunity to grow up safe and healthy, and reach their full potential.
Claudia Karvan
Australian Actor
“Hey to all you Ocsober folk! Good luck this month with the challenge. Be kind to yourself. Doesn’t matter if you slip up with the odd beer (you can buy a leave pass from $25). It’s just good to give it a go. Checking in on your alcohol intake is a seriously beneficial thing to do and great for kids to witness. Go for it!”
Mary Konstantopoulos
Founder Ladies who League
“Here’s a little secret about me… I rarely drink alcohol. In fact, I think I could go the rest of the year without touching a drink quite easily, so I’m using the month of Ocsober to commit to doing 30 minutes of physical activity every single day – another important part of positive and good health. In Australia we lose too many young people as a result of drug and alcohol related harm and I’m pleased to do my part to support Life Education to not only educate young kids about the risks associated with drugs and alcohol, but also about the benefits of exercise and living a positive and healthy life.”
Dr Sam Hay
GP, Presenter
“There’s plenty of evidence that the more we teach kids about what is good for them and what isn’t and the earlier we tell them, the better. As a doctor, I can’t advocate for the Life Education program strongly enough. As a father, even a very present one, I know we as a family need it. And as a bloke, I’d rather my kids learn the first “Life Education” lessons in a safe environment rather than relying on the loudest kid at school, the misinformed Google search or worse still, experimentation.
Ocsober is my chance, as a father, to do something for a cause dear to my heart.
It’s also an opportunity for me to conduct my own little health experiment. Just how easy is it to lose that bit of weight when booze isn’t around? Will my fitness improve? Could the booze be making me more irritable or grumpy at the end of the week? And do my couple of beers each night affect my sleep?
You see, Aussies forget that even small amounts of regular alcohol make it hard to lose weight, lead to poor sleep, and contribute to stress problems or even mood disorders such as depression. Could that be the case for me?
Only time will tell, and Ocsober is the month to find out!”
