About the Author

Jazz Thornton survived a childhood of abuse, depression and chronic suicidal thinking to go on to have international influence in mental health and well-being, using her lived experience to help other young people. She has become a successful author (Stop Surviving Start Fighting), public speaker, award-winning web series director (Jessica's Tree) and international mental-health advocate. A movie about Jazz and the making of Jessica's Tree was released in 2020 - The Girl on the Bridge.
Jazz is also the co-founder, along with Genevieve Mora, of the organisation Voices of Hope, which aims to remove the stigma around mental illness, and to show that hope is real and recovery is possible.
Jazz won Young New Zealander of the Year 2021 for her work.