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. My mum has bipolar disorder and has struggled with her mental health and addiction for many years. In July 2024, she suffered a stroke caused by addiction, which resulted in her spending almost a year in hospital.

Watching my mum go through this has given me a much deeper understanding of how severely mental health difficulties can affect someone’s life and how important it is that people are able to access the right support before things reach a crisis point. Mental illness can be incredibly isolating, and having access to understanding, compassionate and appropriate support can make such a difference.

My mum’s stroke has left her unable to walk. 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 will stay with me throughout this challenge.

I am by no means a runner. Over the past few months, I have been working towards my first 5k and am now on week 10 of 12 of my training 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. I know there will be difficult moments during training and on race day, but I’ll be thinking of her and of why I’m doing this.

By running for Oxfordshire Mind, I hope to raise both awareness and funds for mental health support in our community. My mum’s experience has shown me that mental health should never be overlooked, and that people deserve support, understanding and access to services when they need them most.

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

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting such an important cause.

Love Jasmine ❤️