Shellharbour dad and daughter run from Killalea to near Bendalong

Cody was like a son and a brother, and his passing came without any obvious warning signs.

He was very much loved by the pair - and so many others - that Layla is still lost for words when it comes to describing the heartbreak and now the yearning her heart has to make a difference in the world.

READ ALSO:

The duo is now pounding the pavement from Killalea in Shell Cove to Manyana - starting the 107-kilometre run on Monday - in honour of Cody, and to encourage men to speak up if life is not 'okay'.

"He touched so many people's hearts and it's just, I wish it didn't end like this ... the beautiful send-off he had, there were over 300 people there," Layla said.

"The whole reason why I started ... was to do it in honour of him, in honour of all the people that have not only passed away from mental health issues, but also the people that are living today that are still going through it.

"[I want to] let them know that it is OK to talk, it's okay to speak about how you're feeling."

Both the Cattells participated in a shorter running charity event in June, with The Shaka Project, but they both felt compelled to do more.

"We need to create change," Layla said.

Nathan said there was still a stigma around men opening up when things weren't going well, while he believed there was not enough support for men in workplaces.

"We might go through three days or four days of pain [running] but Cody obviously suffered for a long time in his mind," he said.

Layla and Nathan Cattell have set up a GoFundMe for their marathon, with money raised going to men's mental health charities Talk 2 Me Bro and The Shaka Project.

Meantime, mental health charity Lifeline is set to expand its 24-hour crisis services (via phone, text and webchat) after the state government announced a boost of $8.2 million over five years.

In 2022, Lifeline received over 360,000 calls from NSW callers, according to the state government.

Suicide has a devastating impact on families, friend, communities and workplaces. Knowing where to go to find support in a crisis can be lifesaving, according to the national charity.

The additional funding will help Lifeline continue to support even more people with confidential, non-judgemental care.

Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; beyondblue 1300 224 636.