The QRL is partnering with the ALIVE charity to help in the fight against youth depression and suicide at the grassroots level of rugby league in Queensland.
ALIVE are a community-driven organisation dedicated to ending youth suicide by inspiring and supporting young Australians who are at risk.
North Queensland Cowboys player Ethan Lowe has hopped on board with the program to help end youth suicide in North Queensland and Australia.
"I wanted to become an ambassador for ALIVE because youth depression and suicide is quite a big issue at the moment," Lowe said.
"It really affects people in our age group and I think it's something that we really need to try and work hard to solve and try and help everyone we can.
"Anything we can do to try and help the people that need it is definitely something I'm supporting."
Lowe believed rugby league was the perfect platform to show young people that depression doesn't discriminate against big or small, and it has nothing to do with strength.
"I think the more awareness that we can bring to it the better; [rugby league] is meant to be a big macho sport, but it can affect everyone and we definitely need to help everyone we can," he said.
Former Cowboy and current Cowboys junior coach Aaron Payne is also supporting the initiative, and has had suicide affect him in the past.
"I've seen firsthand people close to me take their lives, and I've seen the carnage that happens from it and how tough family and friends do it when people take their own lives," Payne said.
"It's really important that people out there understand, if you're doing it tough you can talk to people about it. "
"That's what ALIVE is here to do, is to help people when you're doing it tough so don't think you're alone, speak up and get the help you need."
VISIT: http://www.alive.org.au/
