No family is spared from the impact of mental health. No one in this country can say that they have escaped its horrid impact. That is certainly the case for my family, with close family members having committed suicide, and if it weren't for the support and intervention of our health service, there would have been more. I remember as a youngster hearing conversations about elderly family members and their "nerves". Other members may have heard similar conversations: "Great-auntie can't come out tonight because her nerves are at her." How good is it, that as a country, particularly in rural areas, we have moved away in so many ways—not enough, but we've made progress in actually acknowledging that this is an issue and it is something that we should talk about. In my grandfather's generation, people that had mental health were "queer bastards" or "silly buggers" or "funny buggers". That attitude helps no one. Now when I go on programmes like The Country, Jamie Mackay and Rowena Duncum dedicate so much time on that radio show to raising awareness and talking about mental health issues in rural communities, and it empowers people to come forward. It empowers them to talk to their mates. 