Surf Coast star Max Blackwood grows mullet for mental health

SURF COAST resident Max Blackwood has raised a total of $1048 throughout September by growing a mullet as part of Black Dog Institute’s ‘Mullets for Mental Health’ annual campaign.

The 25 year old’s fundraising efforts will help to support the one in five Australians who experience a mental health condition each year and the 65 per cent who don’t seek any help.

The Black Dog Institute was founded in 2002 and is internationally recognised as a pioneer in the identification, prevention and treatment of mental illness, and the promotion of wellbeing.

Over the past twenty years, Black Dog Institute have become leaders in suicide prevention, digital mental health, workplace mental health, treatments and early interventions.

Max Blackwood has been involved in the cause for two years and has raised over $3,000 for the organisation in back-to-back mullet growing efforts.

Max was born with autism and down syndrome and while he is non-verbal, his big smile has certainly been a sign of his enjoyment of the campaign in 2022.

“Lucy (Max’s sister) actually suggested Max to do it last year, and just thought it was a great cause for him to be involved in,” Max’s father Mike Blackwood said.

“Mental health in youth is pretty heavy, I’d be surprised if there is anyone these days that doesn’t know someone pretty closely who hasn’t been affected by mental health and all the things that come from that.

“The unreal thing about Max is that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him as long as he is having fun, that’s all that he worries about.

“Luckily, he doesn’t deal with all the other outside issues, he doesn’t have social media, he doesn’t watch the news, he just looks at things and thinks, what am I doing now and that is a pretty nice and simple way to live.”

Max’s donors and fans have been enthralled with his weekly snaps which his father Mike has been posting each week to signify Max’s mullet growth.

Mike hoped that his son and Black Dog Institute’s work would continue to put mental health in the spotlight.

“It’s such a relevant thing in today’s society,” he said.

“I think anything that people can do to raise money to go towards mental health is a good thing,” Mr Blackwood said.

Through their work, Black Dog Institute have raised close to two million dollars to go towards mental health research, while 8451 mullets have now turned science into action.

To donate to support Max and the Black Dog Institute, go to https://www.mulletsformentalhealth.org.au/