Danielle Aquilina raises $10k for Two Two One Mental Health Charity

An NT charity is reaping the benefits of one reality TV show’s philanthropic approach to entertainment. Find out how.

A Darwin-based mental health advocate’s fundraising efforts have landed her a gig on an international reality show.

“Professional fun person” Danielle Aquilina raised $10,000 for Darwin’s Two Two One Mental Health Charity over the past 12 months.

Her fundraising efforts are a prerequisite for her upcoming role in Adventure All Stars, a reality TV show geared towards using entertainment as a vehicle to steer global audiences towards charity.

“I’m excited to be part of the show and use this platform to talk about mental health issues and promote the great work being done by Two Two One,” Ms Aquilina said.

She and 11 other Australian contestants – who also fundraised for Two Two One – will be whisked away to a secret location for six days of challenges in August.

Danielle Aquilina raised about $10,000 in 12 months for Two Two One Mental Health Charity. Picture: Stevie Hall

Ms Aquilina said she was inspired to join the project after six stress-induced seizures in her final year of high school flipped her approach to life on its head.

“Like an old school computer, when it gets too hot, it shuts down to save the motherboard – so that’s what my brain did when that happened,” she said.

“What it meant was that I had to then decide whether I was going to use that and have a bit of a ‘victim’s mentality’ or I was going to go ‘Well, this is the reality of my life’.”

Danielle Aquilina (pictured at age 16 in Cairns Base Hospital) experienced six stress-induced seizures during her final year of high school, about 14 years ago.

Ms Aquilina said Two Two One’s focus on “mental health first aid” made it unique in the NT and was a key component of her decision to work with the organisation.

“If I’d known what could possibly happen if I continued down the stresses and anxieties that were affecting me, I could have possibly done something to prevent what happened to me,” she said.

“I didn’t have that education, no one had that education.”

Ms Aquilina said organisations such as Two Two One held the key to preventing mental health issues from evolving detrimentally.

Mental health services are in high demand in the NT.

The Northern Territory had the highest number of people accessing mental health services in 2020-21 at 31 patients per 1000 people, compared to the national average of 19.

In the same period, the NT also spent the most per day for mental health patients at about $1929, $623 above the national average.

Territorians also saw the highest per capita spending on specialist mental health services at $353, where the national average was $273.

Originally published as Danielle Aquilina raises $10k for Two Two One Mental Health Charity