Meet Emma: Why She Keeps Coming Back to Splash the Stigma
January 20, 2026
Every February, people across Australia dive into Splash the Stigma - our annual swim challenge that brings together movement, conversation and community to help break down mental health stigma for young people.
Emma is one of many people who return to Splash the Stigma year after year. Now in her third year, she’s a great example of how the challenge can grow alongside you.
“Splash The Stigma is the challenge that got me back into swimming after many years, so when it rolls around each year it is a great reminder of why I started in the first place – to improve my own physical and mental fitness, while doing something meaningful to drive awareness and change in youth mental health.” Emma shares.
“When I started in 2024, I kept swimming after the challenge and haven’t stopped, so I have challenged myself a little more each year as I have improved. The benefits to my health have been profound, and swimming has helped my own mental health immensely, more than I could have ever imagined.”
At its heart, Splash the Stigma is about more than swimming laps. It’s about using a simple, accessible challenge to spark conversations, raise vital funds, and support our preventative mental health programs in schools and universities across the country. Like many participants, Emma continued swimming well beyond February, setting herself new goals each year while staying connected to a cause she cares deeply about.
“The more I learnt about batyr’s work, the more inspired I became,” she says. “Normalising conversations about mental health is something I feel really passionate about, especially as a parent. I want my kids to know that their mental health is just as important as their physical health, and that they can talk about both just as freely. I want them to be able to speak up if they need support, and know how to help those around them. And these are exactly the skills that batyr are teaching young people every day.”
Funds raised through Splash the Stigma directly support batyr’s preventative mental health education, reaching young people with evidence-based programs that build emotional literacy, encourage help-seeking, and reduce stigma through lived experience storytelling.
By swimming, fundraising and sharing why they’re involved, Splash participants help amplify these messages far beyond the pool. For Emma - and for many in our Splash community - the motivation comes from knowing the difference their efforts make.
“I believe that every conversation I have, or message I put out to my community, helps to break that stigma.” Emma explains. “The more people who can speak openly about mental health with each other and their kids, means that our next generation can speak up, seek help, support those around them. I wish I grew up with these skills, however the next best thing is knowing that I can give that to my children.”
One of the things people love most about Splash the Stigma is its flexibility. You choose how, where and how often you swim - solo or in a team, in a pool or the ocean, every day or just a few times across the month.
“The beauty of Splash is that you do it on your own terms,” Emma says. “And the added bonus – the swimming has incredible benefits to your own mental and physical health too. There is something so meditative about the soothing sound of the water, the solitude of you and your thoughts, and how rejuvenated you feel after your swim (especially in the QLD summer) – in my books it is a win, win.”
That mix of personal wellbeing and collective impact is what creates a ripple effect: healthier habits, more open conversations, and more young people supported through our programs and workshops.
Campaigns like Splash the Stigma create space for positive, proactive conversations about mental health - at home, in schools, in workplaces and in communities.
“It gives my swimming purpose and I am really proud of what I have achieved.” Emma shares. “I am also incredibly grateful to batyr for motivating me to get swimming again after many years. I speak openly to my kids about it every year, as really, they are the ones that I am swimming for.”
Whether you’re a seasoned swimmer or just starting out, Splash the Stigma is a chance to move your body, support your mental health, and help fund life-changing education for young people across Australia.
Registrations are now open for February 2026, and every splash helps us continue delivering programs that empower young people to look after themselves and each other.