KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Almost two years after her 11-year-old son Evan Low took his own life, Singaporean mother Doreen Kho, still struggles to get through each day, while being constantly worried for her three other children.

The eldest, Low fought depression and was often in tears despite being on medication for about five months prior to his death.

To help gain an upper hand on the distressing issues of young people wrestling with mental illness, Kho has teamed up with five other grieving mothers to kick off a much needed movement in Singapore.

To do so, the women launched an advocacy group, PleaseStay, to push for a national strategy on mental wellbeing and suicide.

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Made up of about 14 mothers who had lost their children to suicide, the group hopes to be a catalyst for change.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Kho said many people underestimate a child’s depression.

“Even though the children are young, their insecurities are still important.”

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PleaseStay advocates support for mental wellness and suicide prevention among youth.

Members hope to use their experiences as resources to help partners and communities.

Valerie Lim, an advocate who is behind the movement said they aspire to be a source of information for the community, schools, policymakers and decision makers.

“We want them to have knowledge of what happens in the homes and lives of these children so that we can help them.”

The 56-year-old mother also urged all segments of the society to come together for a coordinated and integrated approach.

“The issue of youth suicide is complex.

“Together we can go a long way in reaching out to these young lives,” she added.

Elaine Lek, another founding member of the movement also hoped that the group would gain community support and break the stigma surrounding mental illness.

“Through our personal experiences, we hope to build platforms to engage youth-at-risk, garner community support and dispel misconceptions about mental illness,” she added.

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