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Local vet students have bared all to raise awareness for depression. The third year students at Wagga’s Charles Sturt University felt the full force of the disease when one of their classmates took her own life. From the class of 60, 45 students stripped off for the nude calendar. Money raised from sales will be donated to The Black Dog Institute but they hope the calendars will start conversations about mental health. An Australian study found that veterinarians are up to four times more likely to die by suicide. “It’s a serious topic but we didn’t want to get bogged down in that, we wanted it to be enjoyable (the calendar),” year rep Darcy Doyle said, explaining why they did a nude calendar. They hope that having the calendar hanging on the wall all year will keep the conversation about mental health going. Photography students Glen Simons and Tayla Martin took the photos and CSU printed the calendars. Once the group decided to do the calendar, titled Off The Leash, they started taking photos just days later. “It was very much a bonding experience (stripping off),” Mr Doyle joked. “Once everyone got over a bit of awkwardness it was great.” The calendars will be available for purchase on Saturday September 10 at the Beres Ellwood oval and online from October.

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