This Christmas Day, I’ll be running 50 miles from Beverley to Conisbrough, carrying a 25 kg backpack through the freezing cold.

I’m doing it for everyone fighting a battle inside their own mind.

A while ago, I went through heartbreak that changed me. But that wasn’t the only pain I was carrying. Last year 2024 I suffered a serious injury at work, which led to surgery, complications, and fertility issues at just 20 years old. The physical pain eventually eased — but the emotional pain stayed.

What broke me wasn’t just the injury itself, but what came after:

the fear, the anxiety, the panic about my future, and the heavy weight of wondering if I would ever be able to have a family one day.

I didn’t realise how much that affected my mental health until I found myself struggling with thoughts and feelings I didn’t know how to handle. This experience taught me what so many people already know too well — that mental wounds can hurt far more and last far longer than physical ones.

That’s why this run matters.

The 25 kg on my back represents the invisible weight that millions of people carry every day: stress, trauma, grief, heartbreak, health issues, and silent battles that no one sees. My injury, surgery and fertility problems became part of my own invisible burden — but they also opened my eyes to how many others are carrying something too.

Every mile I run will stand for someone who is still pushing through their pain.

Christmas is joyful for some — but lonely and difficult for many. While the world celebrates, many people are sitting quietly with fear, sadness, or memories they don’t talk about. So while most people are warm at home, I’ll be out there in the cold, running for those who feel unseen.

Your support helps fund prevention, awareness, and hope for everyone who carries their struggles in silence. Every pound donated tells someone, “You are not alone.”

Thank you for believing, sharing, and caring.

Together, we can turn pain into purpose.