A pregnant mother has been living in a clear cube in Queen Street Mall, to raise awareness about youth suicide.

Louise Bellchambers has just stepped out of her three by three metre confine, after one hundred hours.

Samantha Seljak reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

The volunteer of youth support group “ClearThinking” entered the cube last Monday afternoon (See QUT News story).

Her aim – to draw attention to, and gain funding for, youth mental health issues.

The public’s response has been pleasing, and the soon-to-be mother of two is looking forward to being back in the real world.

Louise Bellchambers, ClearThinking volunteer: “Yeah I’m very excited to be coming out of the cube, but mainly because I feel as though we’ve really achieved our goals of being in here.”

Experts in mental health issues have been supporting Louise throughout the week.

Professor Diego De Leo, Director, Australian Institute for Suicide and Prevention: “We should certainly talk openly about suicide, raising awareness, but then doing things.”

Each year one in four young people experience a mental health disorder. Yet, only twenty per cent receive effective health care.

The figures are grim ten per cent of all young Australians will make a serious suicide attempt.

In 2008, five hundred and seven lives were lost to suicide in Queensland.

Mental health is the only major disease group where mortality rates are increasing.

Professor Diego De Leo, Director, Australian Institute for Suicide and Prevention: “We need many more of these events because clearly one-off wouldn’t make much change in people.”

Samantha Seljak, QUT News.