Emma's Marathon for Doctors in Distress
Emma Whiting is raising money for Doctors in Distress
Story
I'm running the Manchester Marathon for Doctors in Distress!
Working as a doctor can be really tough. Many of you reading this will be medics, or the loved ones and friends of medics. As such, you'll understand the immense pressures and unique stresses faced by healthcare staff, from clinical pressures, challenging working environments, antisocial hours and emotional fatigue. This is often compounded by the stigma preventing healthcare staff from seeking help. These are all difficulties that I have experienced myself, alongside so many other friends and colleagues.
Rates of staff burnout in the NHS are at 34%, with the suicide rate for healthcare staff at 24% higher than the national average. It is estimated that one doctor dies by suicide every 3 weeks in the UK.
Doctors in Distress is a fantastic charity established to protect the mental wellbeing of all healthcare workers. It was set up by Amandip Sidhu following the suicide of his brother Jagdip, a consultant cardiologist. He was overworked, burned out and felt he had nowhere to turn. He believed taking his life was the only answer.
Doctors in Distress strongly believes in the power of talking. They run free weekly support groups for a range of healthcare workers (not just doctors!). It's a safe, confidential space where people can process the emotional impact of their work, which is so essential with the pressures that NHS staff face. They have also recently established 'Stamp out Sexism' support groups, providing a safe space for those who have experienced sexism at work to speak, be heard and take action.
As a small charity, any donations are so important to allow them to continue their fantastic work. Donations are also sure to spur me on for the 26.2 miles!
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.