Half Marathon for Mental Health

On the 8th of September, l'll be running 21.1km to raise money for Beyond Blue.


What’s my motivation for running Half Marathon to raise money for beyond blue?

Over the last couple of years, I’ve learnt that mental iIllness is something that can affect absolutely anyone. Despite how ‘together’ we project ourselves to be, the reality is that 45% of us (Australians) will struggle with mental illness at some stage of our life. It is something that has affected the lives of my loved ones and has also been part of my story.

I believe that whilst the experience/diagnosis of mental illness can feel devastating and life changing in the moment, that there is hope and that recovery is possible. Research has shown that reaching out and getting timely support from friends, family and professionals is an important step towards recovery for anyone experiencing mental illness. In my opinion, having conversations about mental health also helps to reinforce that it’s actually okay to not be okay.

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Did you know that the leading cause of death amongst men aged 15-44 years is suicide! Sadly, research shows that many of these men suffered in silence prior to their death. I am passionate about ensuring that no-one should need to endure the pain of mental illness in silence and this has motivated me to get behind Beyond Blue and run 21.1 km.

Beyond Blue is a not for profit organisation that offers FREE 24/7 immediate support (amongst other things!) for people suffering with mental illness. These services aim to remove the barriers (stigma, low finances, living in regional and remote areas or speaking another language) that can stop people from getting the help they need, when they need it. Donating money to Beyond Blue will help the not-for-profit continue to offer timely support for people experiencing mental illness and also their families.

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Running the 21.1km will also be a big step for me personally! I had knee surgery in July 2018 and was only able to start running at the end of April this year (Over 12months after I first did my knee injury)! If you would like to enjoy hearing about me struggle through 21.1 km and would like to support the very necessary work of Beyond Blue, please consider donating.

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/