Patrick Lenihan

Patrick is taking on the 20-hour challenge to support youth mental health and raise awareness about the importance of prevention.

I usually smile more

I consider myself as being very blessed in life. I have always had my immediate needs met, never having to worry about homelessness or where the next meal was coming from. Although grew up without my Father, I have a loving Step-Dad and a beautiful Mother whom worked night and day to keep a roof over our head, putting me through good schools and making sure I never skipped a meal.

I am so fortunate that I grew up in Australia. Some children weren't so lucky, such as those inhabiting places such as Lebanon, Palestine and Israel to name a few, having their whole family wiped out in air strikes and watching their brothers and sisters die in the arms.

While the ones that survive are often left with a few less limbs than what they started with...

The unfortunate reality is too that millions of children draw the short straw, born into abusive families and/or into poverty.

Every child should have an equal opportunity to succeed.

I'm doing this for the kids that are in hopeless situations, fighting to survive everyday, those growing up with the mentality that aren't good enough, told that they will never amount to anything so they end up believing it themselves, getting smacked around by their parents for nothing.

It's absolutely putrid what so many youth live through and I honestly feel immense guilt hat I had such an easy, care-free childhood.

Here's to giving them the second chance they never thought they had!

I sincerely appreciate everyone's generosity.

God Bless 🙏❤️🫡