I am running my first marathon in Queenstown, New Zealand on Saturday 16th November and am raising awareness and funds for Got Your Back Sista. Got Your Back Sista is an Australian-based charity focussed on supporting women and children after escaping the trauma for domestic violence. As many people know, our most valuable commodity is time and experience. Once it’s gone, you can’t buy it back. The women and children supported by this charity have lost time and experience. So many have had their time and experience marred by abuse, neglect, fear and sadness. Far too many have lost lives. The statistics are damning. In these times, it is unacceptable and utterly reprehensible that family, friends and strangers should suffer at the hands of another human being. There is simply no excuse. • 1 in 3 women has experiences physical violence since the age of 15 • 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual violence (updated in 2024) • On average, a woman is killed by an intimate partner every 10 days • Rates are higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women • In 2021, girls aged 10-17 made up 42% of female sexual assault victims • Domestic and family violence is a leading driver of homelessness for women • The cost of violence against women and children is estimated at $26 billion/yr Over the past 6 months, I’ve had the privilege of contributed my time and experience (over 150 hours across 10 countries) to train for Queenstown. In my eyes, this is the most valuable commodity I can offer. However, that the world in which we live and the charity I’m supporting do need money (as much as time) to function. For this reason, I will be contributing $2000 personally and our practice, The Orthopaedic Clinic, will be contributing a further $3000 to this charity if I finish the marathon in under 4 hours. At 46 and as a first-timer, my body doesn’t do what it used to but it’s nothing a bit of tape, anti-chafe cream and a 90’s hip-hop/grunge Spotify mix can’t fix. If you would consider donating to this cause through the link below and/or reposting to raise awareness for this cause, the women and children affected by this epidemic will be forever grateful. Thank you for giving up your time for reading my post and I hope you can assist in any way possible on this journey. Kind Regards, Jai.