I'm running the Brighton marathon in 2026 to raise money for Mind UK.

The reason why I am pursuing this venture is due to my personal experiences with mental health and how they have lead to dire consequences like suicide. in 2021, 727,000 people died by suicide, and for every suicide, there are about 20 suicide attempts. Over half of all suicides happen before 50, and it's the 3rd leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds. An estimated 8 million deaths yearly are linked to mental disorders. A lot of the time mental illness isn't taken seriously, and I would like to help in any way that I can to change this.

I've struggled with my mental health for most of my life. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in 2019 and since then I've worked very hard on maintaining a healthy brain and mental health. I've been on medication to manage my mood and tried to implement good habits ever since :) I advocate for anyone struggling with their mental health to get help and I believe Mind UK is a great way for people struggling to get the help they need. Many of my family and friends also suffer with various mental illnesses and i have known 2 people who sadly lost their life to suicide struggling to cope with their mental health. These experiences have fuelled my motivation to run in this marathon and to hope that no one has to go through the pain of losing anyone to such a cruel fate.

I'm not usually a very physically active person, therefore running this marathon will take a lot of training and dedication but that will not dissuade me from running in this marathon in the hopes that I can show people what a motivated person can do. I have never been more passionate about a cause as much as I have with this one, and if this is all I can do to help the mental health crisis in the UK, then I am okay with that and I will stop at nothing to achieve my goal.