She promises to shave her hair – which has often in the recent past been quite bright and colourful – if the target is raised on her Gofundme page by late July. “For me this is a massive thing as my hair...has been a major part of my identity,” Ms Gale said.

“I get to that point of ‘what’s a bit of hair’ if it can maybe change one person’s life and kick stigma in the butt a bit. Why not?” 

The money won’t be used merely for awareness, but to drive projects which are in development. 

The young local business leader, who has endured depression, wants to break mental health’s stigma, and she wants to do what she can to have it talked about openly. She’s been aware of the difficulties of mental health, having been exposed to it early through her family in her tumultuous childhood. “It’s pretty much all around us all the time without us even realising it,” Ms Gale said. “The more we talk about it the more it gets out there.

“A lot of your clients open up a lot about whats going on and made me realise how common mental health can be and a lot of issues clients face at home. It’s so common, i wish people knew that. 

“I’ve struggled with depression myself in the past. I know that it’s not easy, that it can be in such a small community not easy to talk about because you don’t want people to judge you, you don’t want it used against you. 

“There’s that many families where it’s common coming from a broken family. I don’t want this to be made a ‘feel sorry for me story’. It’s why I do what I do, I absolutely love changing people’s lives and my connection with clients is indescribable, and they’ve changed my life as well.” 

Ms Gale grew up in Mount Isa and after high school graduation went through various careers searching for what was right for her. She went to university, drove dump trucks at the mines, and tried youth work. Meanwhile, she picked up a kettlebell from Kmart and from there began personal training as a hobby. “And one thing led to another,” she said. 

Becoming a personal trainer helped Ms Gale find her sense of purpose, and her business became an obsession. “There’s nothing else I can see myself doing now. It took a lot of searching and trying different things but now I would not do anything else.”

One of Ms Gale’s clients said she helped him break personal barriers. “Sarah is one of those people that will do everything in her power to help others.”

“She gives you her best and expects nothing less than your best back,” he said. 

Ms Gale’s Gofundme campaign can be found here.