I am excited to be participating in the Climb The Capital, London's biggest stair climbing fundraising event. On Saturday, 10 October 2026 I will be climbing three of London’s iconic skyscrapers; The Cheesegrater, Scalpel, and the Walkie-Talkie.

Over the past year I have dedicated time to improving both my physical health. I quit smoking and joined a gym, however I felt a bit like Goldilocks, unable to find the perfect kind of cardio for me. The day I discovered the pressure and intensity of the StairMaster, everything just clicked. Overtime I found myself spending hours a week climbing hundreds of stories and playing solitaire while listening to true crime YouTube videos. I gained strength, flexibility, and lost 32Kgs. The physical changes were obvious but something was still off…

With the support of those around me, I began to recognise that I needed to prioritise my mental health too. Eventually, I reached out to my GP, who explained the process and shared options, including self‑referral services. Two weeks after submitting my referral, I was contacted for an assessment, and shortly after, I began therapy.

With the right support, things started to shift. I developed tools to better understand and manage my mental health, and over time I began to feel more like myself again. The progress has been incredibly rewarding.

My chosen charity I will be raising money for is Mental Health UK. They provide invaluable support in tackling some of the biggest societal challenges posing a threat to our mental wellbeing. To find out more about them and the work they do please visit www.mentalhealth-uk.org.

My goal is to use your donation to allow others struggling with mental health issues to get the help they need, because we all deserve to enjoy the view from the top!

Thanks again,

David Khodabakhshi