By Abbey Cannan
One year down the track, Noosa resident Andy Fermo has made immense progress after forming his registered charity Invisible Injuries.
What started out as an idea to create awareness and improve the lives of others also suffering from PTSD, has in turn helped the military veteran focus on his own self-care.
The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t stopped his charity from reaching people through their online presence, also having planned an active collaboration project to raise funds to create their new website.
Andy said they formed a four-person training squad with Activate Body trainer Tom Molloy, who together will be paddling 26km in the Virtual Molokai to Oahu paddle board race.
“The 26km open ocean course (depending on weather) will be from just north of Teewah or from Marcoola to Noosa Heads Surf Club on Sunday 26 July,” Andy said.
“Tom approached me because we had been talking about getting a regular training squad in Noosa.
“He also believes in Invisible Injuries charitable cause and wanted to collaborate on a project that can assist us with fundraising and brand awareness with a specific goal of the fundraising which is to create an (all-in-one) online database resource which will be the hub for all our programs/activities and stories and the connector for our target audience to resources locally and nationally.”
The squad has committed to paddle sessions twice a week, with Andy welcoming anyone with a race board wanting to train to join them on Wednesdays from 4pm at Lions Park Noosa.
“If they want to have a go I can organise for some demonstrator SUPs so they can have a paddle around Noosa Sound while we train. The use of the SUPs will be free,” he said.
Along with their SUP initiative, Andy said they’ve launched several activities and programs throughout the past year, including; an Invisible Injuries Podcast, a workout of the day, and regular DJ Antix contributions for mindfulness through music.
“We’re working with the Thomson Institute (The Alliance Sunshine Coast) for suicide prevention and how I can become a train the trainer enabling me to deliver the SafeTALK to other organisations on our national tour,” Andy said.
“We’ve connected, followed up, provided initial mental-health triage of two potentially suicidal veterans.”
Andy is also volunteering his time to assist with other veteran groups, in particular hosting Young Veterans (Noosa) lunches and has put his hand up for the welfare team at Tewantin Noosa RSL sub-branch.
“We’re well into the planning phase for our south-east Queensland (mini tour) of eight locations in eight weeks then rolling into the rest of the 12-month PTSD national awareness campaign,” Andy said.
“We’ve hosted our first fundraiser where a triathlete climbed the equivalent of Mt Everest in elevation raising $2.5K for our charitable cause.”
He said they’re also working with Pluggas, a veteran owned, filmmaker and storytelling production house based in Peregian.
“The aim is to film a documentary with Invisible Injuries being one of the primary characters/entities on their 12-month awareness campaign,” he said.
With all the work he’s been putting in, Andy said creating Invisible Injuries has given him purpose, motivation and inspiration to help other veterans and himself.
“Volunteering with other ex-service organisations has given me the ability to network and have consistent social/meaningful engagement with my peers to reduce social isolation,” he said.
“It’s allowed me to face my fears, accept emotions and talk about feelings in a positive, constructive, meaningful and blokey way.
“It’s allowed me to focus on my own self-care and mental health to be in a much more stable state.”
Invisible Injuries will be launching their fundraising website within the fortnight. Keep an eye on their social media for updates, including a PayPal link for donations, at www.facebook.com/invisibleinjuriesaustralia/.
