As most of you are already aware, mental health is a subject very close to my heart both professionally and personally. I like to think that my practice as an RMN (Mental Health Nurse)is playing a big part in working towards a world in which people affected by mental illness are treated with respect and accepted as equal citizens, fee from stigma and discrimination; a world where people with mental illness have access to effective 24 hour holistic and person centred care, and can recover a more fulfilling quality of life. I have worked for the Leeds Partnership's NHS Foundation trust providing mental health care for nearly 10 years now. Our goal is to improve the mental health and well being of the people of Leeds and to provide them with effective, accessible and modern mental health and learning disability services. Quite often its also non statutory services, many run on charitable funds and grants that provide effective and valuable mental health support to people across this country not just the NHS and private care settings and this I feel is forgotten about - I have been guilty of this in the past, services such as RETHINK don't get the support and recognition they deserve. This this why I have chosen to run the Great North Run 2009 for RETHINK to offer my support and thank them for the sterling work that they have done working to help everyone effected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life, and to support them to continue to provide hope, empowerment through effective services and to support all those that need them and will need them in the future and so they can continue to campaign for change through greater awareness and understanding of mental health. so please help me by donating what you can or want to this amazing charity. Remember "1 in 5 people have dandruff. 1 in 4 people have mental health problems. I've had both" (Ruby Wax 2008). I would also like to thank RETHINK for giving me one of their 15 places for this race I feel very honoured and hope to do them proud. Thank you so very much for visiting my fundraising page. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It's also the most efficient way to sponsor little old me, RETHINK gets your money faster and, if you're a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation. So please sponsor me now! or see me in person xxx