Julie Turner’s pain drives community spirit

JULIE Turner has overcome far too much hardship for one lifetime.

Julie Turner is travelling to New York to address the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York, speaking on the Indigenous youth suicide in the Northern Territory.

JULIE Turner has overcome far too much hardship for one lifetime.

In 2006, she lost her 17-year-old daughter Carmie to suicide. Three years later, in 2009, her 13-year-old Daniel drowned in Rapid Creek.

She also suffered a late-term miscarriage.

As a result she is the founding member of the Darwin Regional Indigenous Suicide Prevention Network and works with Royal Life Saving and SIDS and Kids.

She has now been nominated for a Pride of Australia award in the Inspiration category. Ms Turner said she is humbled to be nominated.

“The work I do means a lot to me,” she said.

“I’m quite surprised to hear I’ve been nominated.

“But from my own personal experience of loss through suicide and drowning, I have become a strong advocate for the development and implementation of life promotion strategies – to help improve positive outcomes for Territorians.”

Ms Turner has since travelled to the US to address the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York.

She has also gained a degree in education, and is now a teacher in Yirrkala.

During her address, Ms Turner proposed many recommendations surrounding the handling of suicides, many of which – including dropping the word “commit” – have now been adopted internationally.

In the decade since their ­inception, the Pride of Australia awards have honoured more than 550 Australians, shared more than 19,000 inspirational stories and unearthed extraordinary feats of courage and heroism.

For more information on how to nominate, go to ntnews.com.au/prideofaustralia