On 11th October 2026, I will be running the Oxford Half Marathon to raise money for Oxfordshire Mind and support better mental health services across Oxfordshire.

This cause is incredibly close to my heart. In July 2024, my mum suffered a stroke caused by addiction after struggling with her mental health for a long time. This led to her staying in hospital for almost a year. Seeing the impact of this firsthand has shown me just how important it is that people get the support they need before irreversible damage can happen.

My mum’s stroke has left her unable to walk without aid. One morning as I was leaving for a run, she said to me, “I wish I had taken the opportunity to run while I could.” That moment has stayed with me ever since and is the reason I decided to take on this challenge.

I am by no means a runner. Over the past few months I have been working towards my first 5k and am on week 10/12 of the plan, so stepping up to a half marathon will be a huge challenge. But it is also a privilege to be able to run when people like my mum no longer have that opportunity, and that thought will stay with me throughout my training and on race day.

By running for Oxfordshire Mind, I hope to raise both awareness and funds for mental health support in our community, because mental health is something that affects so many of us in one way or another.

Any support — whether that’s sharing this post, donating, or cheering me on during training — would mean so much.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Jasmine❤️