Show of support as vet students walk to raise awareness about mental health

For the first time Wagga's Veterinary Students Committee (VSA) and fifth-year veterinary students at CSU will come together for Flynn's Walk in a bid to combat the unique challenges they face in their line of work.

From working long hours and working on various species and animals, to caring for pets in all conditions and their owners, veterinarian work is like no other.

Student and host Emily Healy contacted the founders of Flynn's Walk in 2022 after she identified a need to have an event that draws students together.

"We have such a dense veterinary community here and I think it is so important to have something here that brings us together, especially during such a hard time for the industry," she said.

"There's a lot going on there with burnout.

"My year level was really looking for something to bring us together.

"The point is to walk, talk, reduce the stigma and connect with your peers and know you have support networks.

"Further than that, it's about spreading awareness so people understand what's happening in the industry at the moment."

Flynn's Walk was established in Melbourne in 2018 after veterinarian Dr Flynn Hargreaves took his own life.

Struggling to find a way to process, grieve and deal with the loss of a loved one, his friends came together to host the walk in his honour and to raise awareness.

Flynn's friend, and walk founder, Jack Levitt said the profession was complex and therefore posed complex issues.

"They work long hours, they have an intense workload, they're treating lots of different animals and they also have to be the caregiver for the pet parent," he said.

A parliamentary inquiry is currently examining veterinary workforce shortages in NSW, including the burnout and mental health challenges facing the profession.

The upper house probe held a hearing at CSU in Wagga on April 4 and the inquiry committee's chairman, Mark Banasiak, toured the university's veterinary teaching, research and clinical facilities during the visit.

Wagga will be the first regional city to host Flynn's Walk.

"We have turned it into more action and conversation around burnout and suicide - we walk in his legacy. It's amazing, we started the walk in Melbourne and we've grown it to Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane and for the first time we've brought it inland," Mr Levitt said.

"To come regional is really special."

While not a veterinarian himself, Mr Levitt wanted students to ensure their own wellness and stick together.

"The message for the next generation coming through is look after yourselves and look after each other," he said.

"Ask for better conditions, take care of yourselves, it's going to take a village to turn things around and they're part of that village.

"There's a big discussion around helping to ensure students have support during placement.

"Vets are considered essential workers, so we need to look at how their training is sustainable and that can come through things like incentive's placements, and the other part is vets having some of their costs offset while they study."

Flynn's Walk will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Sunday, May 19 at Apex Park.

Tickets can be purchased online at events.humanitix.com/flynn-s-walk-wagga-wagga-2024/tickets.

If you are struggling and are in need of help you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.