“Oh, I’m fine.” and “Doing ok, thanks!” could be two of the most frequently uttered lies in the English language.

And even though she had good reason not to, then-15-year-old Hannah Lucas was just as guilty of telling them as any of us. But those little white lies had dangerous consequences for the teenager who’d suddenly developed a medical condition that caused unexpected and uncontrollable fainting. What if she felt a spell coming on while no one was around? Or potentially worse, while EVERYONE was around – at school, in public, or at a party?

So Hannah watched the world from inside her bedroom, where her involuntary condition presented new symptoms many disabled persons are all too familiar with: utter isolation and depression. And locked in her bedroom with the ever-looming fear that either her physical or mental disability could end life as she knew it, Hannah came too close to taking the matter into her own hands instead. When her mom intervened by chance and asked her daughter why she’d bear that burden alone, Hannah blurted out an insight turned inspiration – “I wish there was a button I could press to tell you I wasn’t okay.”

But what if there was?

With newfound focus and renewed hope, Hannah immediately set to work concepting an idea for an app that would allow an urgent outcry to her family and closest friends if she needed assistance for any reason at all, without saying or texting a word. When her code-writing little brother Charlie assured her that he could design her app, it wasn’t long before the siblings’ at-home collaboration became a digital reality.

“The notOK App® takes the guesswork out of asking for help. It’s a digital panic button to get you immediate support. Instead of typing out a text message to only delete it before sending, notOK App is super simple. With just one button press, a user’s peer support team is notified and can provide help,” Hannah wrote in a funding pitch. In fact, she and her brother pursued and secured all of their own capital, eventually partnering with a developer to launch the app on iTunes and Google Play, where it’s since gained thousands of downloads, high praise from its users, and endorsement from the Born This Way Foundation and the American Association of Suicidology as well.

But turning insight into action doesn’t stop there for Hannah and Charlie. When Virginia passed a bill mandating mental health training for all teachers, the siblings knew that the students in their home state of Georgia could benefit from the same. This year, they’ll present their proposed bill during the Georgia legislative session. It’s the common sense next step for the pair who recognize that notOK® is a tool for those who feel as though they have nowhere else to turn.

And that’s too many. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 34, a statistic that’s even more grim when it comes to black youths aged 10 to 19, having risen 73% for that demographic since 1991. The Lucas teens’ own mother has first-hand knowledge that “kids don’t necessarily have the vocabulary to say, ‘Hey, I’m dealing with anxiety.’” Their lived reality makes Hannah and Charlie especially suited to step into the gap, using their well-earned platform to provide resources and representation for the ones who need them most.

As for Hannah, the experience has only made her stronger and given her the courage to do the simple thing that so many others take for granted every day: live. “Now I’m not just living for myself. I have to keep on living. I have to keep on thriving,” she asserts, a sentiment her brother uses his voice to amplify. “I would really like to tell people that it’s okay to be not okay,” says Charlie. “It’s okay to be where you are right now. We just have to get through it.”

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If you or someone you love is struggling right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or live chat on their website.