Suicide

Blue hearts, for her "beautiful blue eyes," are taped up and down her high school hallway.

All of them a heartbreaking reminder of a life cut short.

Vela killed herself this week, putting a gun to her chest while her family begged her not to. She was 18 years old -- and she had been relentlessly bullied.

Bullied for her weight

Brandy's sister, Jackie, says the teen had always been bullied for her weight, but the cyberbullying ramped up in April.

Last Saturday, a suicide prevention Fono, organised by various community health groups, was held in the city, organised in conjunction with several organisations who work for the interests of Pacific youth including the Spirit of Rangatahi Charitable Trust.

While suicide or depression are not topics widely discussed by Pacific families, close to 300 people came together to hear how they could help the young people in the community deal with these issues.

The gathering included Tongan, Tokelaun, Cook Islands, Samoa, Niuean and other members of the community in Porirua.

Estimates of depression rates during pregnancy vary between 5.5 percent to 33.1 percent -- a wide range that indicates more research is needed on the issue.