During Ocsober people around Australia find the willpower to say no to alcohol and instead of a glass of Merlot at the end of the day, Mrs Agapiou has been having massages.

"By not drinking I've lost about five kilos. I feel healthier, less tired and I've found in social situations alcohol gave me confidence, but now I'm listening a lot more than I was," she said.

"Australian society is dependent on that social lubricant of alcohol and if you say you don't drink people look at you strangely."

When her friends asked her why she wasn't drinking, she explained it in one word - Ocsober - which they respected.

The month is an important opportunity to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians.

"It's like being in a lolly shop - alcohol is everywhere. I started training for it in mid-September because I probably needed that extra bit of time," Mrs Agapoiou said.

This year, Life Education aims to raise over $1 million to help Healthy Harold travel to even more schools across Australia and as participants head into the final week she realised the benefits of her decision stretched beyond just not drinking.

"It saves you money. I've collected the money on what I would have saved by not drinking and will put that on top of what I've raised at the end of the month."

She is about $100 short of her target with a week to go, but said the month had already made her change her living habits.

"I don't intend on buying a bottle of wine when I'm doing the shopping like I did.

"You don't realise how much drinking is a social thing until you can't do it."