Featured Image Credit: 9News
Topics: Australia, Parenting, Mental Health
Ben Thompson
A single mum who donated to a charity that saved her son's life was rewarded in a huge way when she won a £1.7 million ($3.3 million AUD) house.
Before her big win, Sylvia from Queensland, Australia, was living in a cramped two bedroom apartment with her teenage sons, Declan and Brock.
It was there that Brock's mental health was taking a steep decline.
Advert
Sylvia says that her now 26-year-old son had become 'hard to parent' because of his anger.
Unbeknownst to her, he'd reached out for help by calling Kids Helpline, who assisted him with counselling and prepared him for the world of work.
To show her gratitude to the charity that saved her son's life, Sylvia bought a ticket for a prize home raffle run by YourTown, the charity which funds Kids Helpline.
Sylvia said: "I thought 'Hey, it's a donation'. I never in a million years thought that it wasn't a donation and I'd win a house."
Five months after the win, Sylvia met the counsellor who had helped her son out when he called up.
Phil, the Kids Helpline counsellor, told 9News that Brock was a positive example of somebody who turned their life around.
Phil said: "There's a lot of negative consequences if there's not help available."
With a new house to build memories in, Sylvia, Brock, and Declan have a chance to have a fresh start in a happy environment.
Kids Helpline currently only has enough resources to answer two out of every five calls they receive from distressed youngsters, hence the need for extra funding.
The free help service has been running since 1991 and provides 24 hour support seven days a week.
Open to young people between the ages of five and 25, and according to its website, the counsellors have responded to over eight million calls in their 30 year history.
On the first day that they began operations, they received calls from 3,200 young people.
Speaking of their reach, the Kids Helpline website states: "For some young people, connecting with Kids Helpline has been a life-saving experience, while for others it’s about practical help and emotional support at the critical moment they need someone to listen."