10km for 10 years

In May 2015, my little sister took her life weeks before her 18th bday. Years of pain, grief and guilt followed. Every day felt like an eternity, like she was slipping further away. A decade without her was too much to imagine…but here we are.

Fast forward 10 years, the world looks very different. If only she could see how huge Ed Sheeran became. Teen suicide however, remains a constant.

Action to combat this needs to be proactive and start young. Kids need to be taught coping mechanisms at school and home. To be given mental health education BEFORE they need it. To normalise self worth, the self critic and seeking support. To understand that everyone deserves respect & kindness because you never know what they're going through.

I am HOPE is a charity that aims to achieve all of that, so to raise money for them in memory of Ciara I'm swimming 10km in the ocean in May on her birthday. Ok, its over 3 days in Fiji, but hear me out.

This is my first open water event, swimming 3km for 3 consecutive days & the last bonus km solo. I cover all costs of the trip so 100% of the money goes to charity, of course.

And if you can’t/don’t wish to donate, think about encouraging strong mental health in the young people in your life. Seeking out counselling, talking about your own feelings (good & bad) and treating everyone with respect (ESPECIALLY yourself) are easy behaviours to demonstrate.

Preventing one more person from spending a decade without their sister would be a win.