News Archive

Four young women who understand the mental anguish of schizophrenia are taking on an almighty physical challenge to combat it.

The Stumbling Dumplings are part of the Schizophrenia Research Institute's first Trek for Mental Health - across the Great Wall of China.

Melanie Clark is a research assistant in the Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry (CCRN) at Graylands Hospital. Tammy Hall works with her, employed by the Department of Health as a research officer. Their two friends, Ashinka Weeratunge and Meg Lefroy also work in the mental health field. The friends met while studying psychology.

"We are doing a lot of training as well as a lot of fund-raising," Tammy said. "But all of us, in our work, see the need for more research into the causes, treatment and cure of schizophrenia. So we are committed to this."

The friends are committed to raising at least $3,000 each to go towards the team's $50,000 target, to fund two PhD researchers for a year.

They have been training since March for the 10-day 100 kilometre trek. "We will need to be very fit to cope with trekking up to eight hours a day, especially on unrestored parts of the wall, climbing up to 1,200 steps a day."

The Stumbling Dumplings train individually during the week, walking their local streets and climbing up and down stairs whenever they can.  They come together on weekends and often do the Kokoda Track in Kings Park, a 15km track which includes Jacob's Ladder and the other stairs opposite the old Swan Brewery.

Tammy and Ashinka have travelled together before and Meg and Mel shared a house during their Honours year. "That was pretty physically demanding!" said Mel. They all agree they are already much fitter than when they started training and are looking forward to the physical challenge.

"But it is nothing compared to the suffering that schizophrenia can bring to an entire family," Tammy said.

Schizophrenia is the third leading cause of disability in young people and 50 per cent of those diagnosed will attempt suicide. "Through research, which we hope to fund, we can gain an understanding of this disease and offer more informed levels of support and care to some of the most vulnerable people in our community," Mel said.

It will be the first time in China for all of them and they are looking forward to the homestays along the route, with hopefully more dumplings than stumbling.

If you would like to support the Stumbling Dumplings, please go to: www.everydayhero.com.au/the_stumbling_dumplings