St Kilda Launch Danny Frawley Centre For Health And Wellbeing

St Kilda football club launched a breakthrough program on Tuesday, unveiling the stage one of the Danny Frawley Wellness Centre, in honour of the club great.

A former Triple M expert commentator, the late Danny 'Spud' Frawley tragically passed away in 2019 after enduring a battle with mental health. 

The Saints are seeking to uphold the conversation about mental health, and reduce the stigma that comes with men playing sport.

"Today will see the official launch of the Danny Frawley Centre for Health & Wellbeing ... with the facility to open to the community on Monday, March 7th," the club said in an Instagram Post.

"Set to help the community with both their physical and mental health, the Centre will also be a place celebrate Spud’s life and immortalise his legacy as both a St Kilda champion and advocate for mental health."

Frawley's wife, Anita, spoke on the significance of the centre, and seeing Danny's mural as the centerpiece. 

"Today is a poignant, but very proud day for my girls and I," Anita Frawley said.

"This centre means so much to us and to see Danny’s name and face around the building is incredibly moving."

The new precinct boasts features including a pool, psychologist research rooms, community gym, recovery centre and more. 

St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis says the centre will act as a cornerstone for the community.

"The Danny Frawley Centre is unlike any other we are aware of – both in its physical form, and in its ambition.  It combines state of the art physical and mental health facilities, programs and services in an ecosystem which harnesses the power of social connection,"  Finnis said.

"All of the facilities and programs at the Danny Frawley Centre are provided to our players, coaches and staff (past and present) but also to our community – and that is what Spud as the great connector of people from all walks of life would have demanded of us."

"Danny was courageously vocal in urging people to look out for each other, to seek help and to prioritise their mental health. But the reality is that stigmatised narratives surrounding mental health continue to exist and must be shifted. "

- Matt Finnis, STK CEO

"We hope the Danny Frawley Centre can help progress the conversation and focus towards mental health as a means of promoting a thriving community."

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