Many miles to go: 2021 B2B suicide prevention walk set to go ahead

In fact, she's walked thousands of miles in the seven years since her husband Sean took his life.

She's walked to forget, she's walked to remember and she's walked to acknowledge the pain of the inexplicable grief of suicide.

In 2018 she completed an epic 700-kilometre trek from Beechworth to the north side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to walk and talk about "the elephant in the room".

Bolstered by the huge outpouring of support for her quest, Lisa established the annual B2B (Beechworth to Bright) walk in 2019 with the help of a dedicated group of volunteers.

She also fulfilled one of many pledges she made to herself after Sean's death when she walked Spain's Camino de Santiago.

In her "journey of self-discovery", she was to encounter so many people with "humbling" stories of their own to share.

"Across the other side of the world it was like the B2B theme of walk, talk and support continued," she said at the time.

That sentiment has only been amplified in the extraordinary turn of events of 2020 that delivered a global pandemic to our doorsteps.

The constraints of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of last year's B2B walk - a crippling blow for organisers and participants who enjoy the shared solace and camaraderie of the event's aim.

With a "determined positivity", organisers have announced registrations are open for the 2021 B2B walk, March 26 to 28.

Lisa says they are resolved to run the event - complete with any social distancing requirements - as COVID-19 takes an ongoing toll on people's mental health and wellbeing.

"We think it is even more vital at this time - suicide rates are way up and those already bereaved by suicide have had their grief compounded by the isolation of COVID-19," she says.

And in what Lisa describes as both a humbling and empowering validation of the event's importance to the community, B2B has announced Bendigo Bank at Beechworth has come on board as a major sponsor for the next three years, alongside Dyson's ongoing help with bus services en route.

"It's absolutely recognition of what we are doing to help people," she says.

"We are not mental health professionals but we can walk, talk and listen in a safe space."

If there is one compelling lesson 2020 has taught us it's the importance of staying connected, according to Lisa.

"For me personally it was a year of stepping back, smelling the roses and slowing down," she says.

"It was a year where Zoom came into its own - from having (a virtual) dinner with a friend in Dubai to checking in with my two sons who were in lockdown in Melbourne.

"I think when you are busy you can tend to fall into the habit of just quickly touching base and moving on - but I became mindful of really engaging with them and opening conversations."

She sent grocery parcels as well as crosswords and jigsaw puzzles to "keep them busy in their minds".

And now on walks around her home town of Beechworth, she's also conscious of taking an extra moment when greeting fellow walkers.

"You might pass people and say, 'G'day, how are you going?' Now, I actually stop and listen to their answer."