Motorcycle Sojourns to Raise Awareness of Depression and to Prevent Suicide [] Rotary Club – Rotario Midday, A.C.

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by Chris McCaskill

Between June 2018 to early 2020, Dieter Schneider traveled the world on his motorcycle, covering more than 100,000 kilometers.  His first trip began in Wurzburg, Germany and encompassed a four-month trans-African trip—riding to Cape Town, South Africa. His travels also took him through Asia, South America and America among other places.

Travel and sightseeing were not his original motivation.  He used the trip as a means of dealing with the trauma he suffered over 6 years ago after his son died from suicide due to depression.  But as a result of his experience, he developed a passion for exploring the world on a bike and attributes a good deal of his healing to these trips.

In his talk, he will emphasize the importance of talking about mental illness and acknowledging it a true sickness that must not be stigmatized.  In many of our world cultures, persons are suffering and feel uncomfortable or inadequate discussing their challenges, often leading to a worsening of symptoms or devastating consequences such as suicide.

Schneider is a German Rotarian and a member of the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians (IFMR).  This fellowship, not controlled by Rotary, was created because its members endorse the Rotary ideals of service, both internationally and within their communities.  The organization has chapters world-wide and their scope is broad:  among other purposes, the organization advances goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and alleviation of poverty and child mortality.

Schneider is also a former German fencing Olympian.

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