The story of an Albury schoolgirl's tragic death and her parents' ongoing quest to help fix Australia's mental health system will become part of a permanent exhibit at a new museum in London.
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When their beloved daughter Mary Baker took her life in 2011 at just 15 years of age, her parents Annette and Stuart were left reeling in silent, anguished grief - without support and without answers.
The family had flailed about in an inadequate mental health system until, as it turned out, it was too late for Mary.
Mary was brimming with potential - a bright student and extremely talented athlete, she had the world at her feet but her dreams were never able to be realised.
Since that day Mr and Mrs Baker have campaigned tirelessly for better supports in the mental health space including being involved in Australians For Mental Health's formal submission to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
"If we knew what we know now, we might have been able to save her," the Bakers said.
Now their story is to be included in the new Museum of Lost (and Found) Potential, which opens in London ahead of World Mental Health Day 2019 on October 10.
The brainchild of United for Global Mental Health, the establishment of the museum is part of a rolling campaign to unite people across the world to call for greater action on mental health.
The museum aims to show the world what is lost when mental health is neglected, but also what can be found when it is prioritised
The exhibits will reflect the experience of real-life individuals from 15 countries - it will include personal objects, film, photography and recordings of people or their loved ones.
I think it will be very powerful ... it's a creative way of drawing attention to the human toll of mental illness.
- Stuart Baker
Mary's story will be among the exhibits of "lost" potential - "creative representations showing the lost dreams, ambitions or projects that were never achieved due to unaddressed mental health challenges".
One exhibit will recreate a dress that Alexander McQueen designed, but never got to make.
The Bakers will fly to London for the launch on October 9, on the eve of World Mental Health Day, which this year will focus on the shocking worldwide loss of someone to suicide every 40 seconds.
"I think it will be very powerful ... it's a creative way of drawing attention to the human toll of mental illness," Mr Baker said.
Mrs Baker said this type of global initiative reinforced their own advocacy efforts.
The museum opening is a key component of the Speak Your Mind campaign, from September 23 to October 10, which aims to get as many people as possible to "speak their mind" for 40 seconds in a global petition to demand more effective, more inclusive mental health systems.
