As some of you may know, 2017 marks a whole 10 years since my Dad passed, having lost my Mum only four years earlier. Both were troubled by alcoholism, and it destroyed our family, at a relatively young and formative age for my brother and I.

My Mum’s alcoholism began following the passing of her own
mother and ultimately took her life in a turbulent, traumatic four years. My Dad’s battle then really began; despite his best efforts, his grief-fuelled alcohol abuse spiralled out of control and was an instrumental factor in his death. Again, the battle was a short, brutal four years.

For both, it was about more than the finality of those four
years, however. We had essentially lost our parents – and childhood – as we knew them long before. The alcoholism robbed us off that.

Sadly and increasingly, this is a story familiar to many children of alcoholics – and this is an issue that is only just beginning to
gain real awareness and momentum. So many children, young and older, are suffering at the hands of their parent’s alcoholism across the country, and they need the necessary support networks in place to help them through it.

NACOA (the National Association for Children of Alcoholics)
is one of the charities dedicated to meeting this need. NACOA provides
information and support for everyone affected by their parent’s drinking
through a free, confidential telephone and email helpline. And I want to do my bit to support those affected, through NACOA.

So, 10 years since my darkest days, and I’m challenging
myself to run a series of 10k races this year to raise money for NACOA and help others beat this growing problem.

Enys 10k

April, 2017

Lanhydrock 10k

June, 2017

Trelissick 10k

August, 2017

I’m also aiming to run the Eden Project half-marathon in
October! So please help me in my challenge, and perhaps collectively we can all help children dealing with a far bigger challenge right now.

Thanks for your support,

Rob