Hundreds of Hongkongers will trek around the perimeter of Hong Kong Island over the next few weeks in the name of youth mental health.
It’s all part of Weez Walk, an annual fundraising event from The Weez Project and KELY Support Group. It aims to raise awareness about youth mental health and suicide prevention while giving people a chance to “walk and talk” to others about their mental well-being.
“The big antidotes to mental health issues are deemed to be talk therapy – not necessarily just with professionals, but also with your friends and colleagues – being out in nature, and exercise, so we try to incorporate all those elements into one,” said 63-year-old Tony Bruno, the founder of Weez Walk.
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‘A public health crisis’
Mental health has recently become a topic of conversation in Hong Kong; the city has seen a concerning dip in youth mental health levels and a terrifying spike in suicides over the last few years.
In September 2024, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service revealed that a survey found 20 per cent of 1,600 secondary school respondents had symptoms of anxiety and depression, citing academics and personal appearance as major concerns. Another 2024 study by three local universities revealed that students’ sense of life’s worth had hit a seven-year low.
Samaritan Befrienders of Hong Kong, the city’s largest suicide prevention group, reported that 10 students died by suicide from mid-August through September 2024, an increase from 2023, when six students died by suicide in the same time frame. The city’s teenage suicide rate also rose to a 10-year high in 2023.
But even before this, the mental health problems of young Hongkongers have long been a source of concern.
Bruno, who moved to Hong Kong around 28 years ago, started The Weez Project with his family in 2018 after his son Jamie died by suicide the year prior.
“We started researching suicide in Hong Kong and mental health issues in young people particularly,” Bruno said, calling the issue a “public health crisis”.
The Weez Project helps fund organisations that provide mental health education and crisis management programmes in schools and other youth settings.
The seeds for the event were planted in 2020 when Bruno realised that funds for The Weez Project were “running a bit low”. He also felt trapped in Hong Kong because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
In search of a new challenge, Bruno thought, “Why don’t I walk around the perimeter of Hong Kong Island? I’ll do it one day and see what we can raise.”
It took him more than 12 hours to complete the 62km route in early 2021, and he raised HK$350,000 from sponsors. This success prompted him to officially launch the Weez Walk in 2022.
The walk is divided into sections so participants can go at their own pace and complete a distance that fits their abilities. More than 700 people took part in Weez Walk in its first year. In 2024, there were more than 800 participants.
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Need for change
Charlotte Chan took part in the first Weez Walk in 2022 alongside classmates from her dental school. She raised more than HK$26,000 from people who pledged money to sponsor her walk.
“Having witnessed first-hand how losing someone to suicide impacts entire families and communities, I wanted to contribute to raising awareness and support,” Chan, 25, said. “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and we all have a role to play in helping those in need.”
Chan was diagnosed with depression and anxiety as a teen and received support from her friends and family.
“Many young people in Hong Kong don’t have access to the same resources, and the stigma surrounding mental illness makes speaking up incredibly hard,” she said.
Chan ran the Weez Walk route, which challenged her physically and mentally. It was the longest distance she had ever run. “The experience reinforced how exercise benefits mental health and helped dispel misconceptions that depression stems from a lack of willpower,” she said.
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Weez Walk also gave her the opportunity to open up about mental health. “Talking is the first step toward breaking the stigma. Raising awareness through events like Weez Walk, increasing access to professional help, and normalising conversations around mental health are key. Everyone deserves the chance to seek support without fear or shame.”
Bruno shared the sentiment, saying he hoped schools could incorporate mental health topics into their curriculum and get parents involved. He also encouraged teens to talk about their mental health, not just with professionals, but with friends and family too.
Bruno hopes to attract 1,000 participants for Weez Walk 2025, which runs from January 18 to February 2. Those interested in taking part can register here.
If you have suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 18111 for the government-run “Mental Health Support Hotline” or +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans and +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.
