Step 1: Book a skydiving experience!

Okay, maybe not really (but maybe?) …

That’s exactly what Uni student, Mia Wild, decided to do to help make a difference for people who experience anxiety and other forms of mental distress in New Zealand. But why skydiving?? Let’s rewind and take a look at Mia’s story.

Mia’s Story:

Mia shares: “I struggle with my own anxiety, and [getting involved with] Anxiety NZ has played a massive role in my understanding of what it means to have an anxiety disorder.”

Mia started volunteering on the 0800 ANXIETY Helpline in January 2022 to gain experience in the mental health field as she was in her final year of her undergraduate degree in psychology.

Life took a bit of a turn for Mia and her family when her dad was diagnosed with PTSD in mid-2022. However, the challenges they faced only spurred Mia on to get more involved in making a difference in the mental health field.

The Skydive:

She decided to set up a fundraiser through Anxiety NZ and recalls that her dad has often talked about going skydiving many years ago and how much he enjoyed the experience. So naturally she chose to do the same for her fundraiser!

She plans to do a 16,500ft skydive - in honour of her dad, her family, and Anxiety NZ. She says: “I am fundraising to promote the importance of mental health - specifically anxiety, which affects 1 in 4 Kiwis in their lifetime, me included.

I decided to take a leap of faith (literally) and plan to do a skydive for my fundraiser. Essentially the idea is that people donate, and in return they get to see me plummet from the sky.”

Getting Involved:

While Mia is finding things hectic with Uni at the moment, she found that it was very easy to get her fundraiser set up and out into the world where she shares about it on her social media. Check out Mia’s fundraising page here to show support!

You can also start up your own fundraiser to support mental health in New Zealand. You simply follow a few easy steps to get started, and we will be there to support you along the way.

Mia’s Impact:

Mia continues to work to make a difference and help people who reach out to the 0800 ANXIETY Helpline.

She shares: “Throughout my time on the helpline, I’ve had the pleasure of helping some of our most vulnerable callers. It is a privilege to be there for people when they really need it.”

She has also gone on to pursue an honours degree in psychology at the University of Waikato and is preparing to start training to work as a Duty Manager for the Anxiety Helpline.

When asked why she has chosen to work in mental health, she doesn’t need to think about her answer. She wears her “why” on her sleeve and she says: “…My father, whom I am extremely close with and grateful for. That man has weathered storms that would drown other men. He is my true 'why' and I love him more than anything. At its core, I do everything for my Dad.”