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On April 8th I am running the Sheffield Half Marathon for Mind in memory of one of my best and closest friends Paul Cooper. 

This is the first time I have ever attempted anything like this and for anyone who knows me running has never really been my thing. In fact the most running I normally do is around the salon in between clients!

It is approaching a year since we lost Paul and it still doesn't seem real at times, we all wish we could have spoken more about what he was struggling with inside, but one thing we will always think of now is; "Everyone is fighting a battle we often don’t know anything about, and to be kind always". We all miss him so much and he is never far from our minds and thoughts. 

This half marathon is just a few days after the day we all lost Paul and I am sure if he is looking down he would find it very entertaining watching me do this! Particularly after the years of trying to get me more into sport!  I might not be the quickest runner, but I am going to give it my best shot and as long as I can get over the finish line thats an achievement for me. 

Mental health issues are something that affect so many families, so any help we can give however small could help with making the ultimate difference of saving someones life. Together we can bring added awareness to mental health issues.

More than 6,000 people take their own lives due to mental health problems in the UK and Ireland each year, that is one person every two hours with many more people that attempt to take their lives.
Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 20-34 years in the UK and is considerably higher in men as they are less likely to ask for help or talk about how they feel.
Mind Charity provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. The campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. They wont give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.

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.