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Running a marathon in gumboots to raise funds for Gumboot Friday / I am Hope

Tauranga, Bay Of Plenty

“Having depression is like walking through the mud every day”.

In 2020, 607 people lost their lives to suicide in NZ, and NZ has the 2nd highest youth suicide rate in the developed world.

In NZ 40% of kids will have a major crisis often associated with some type of suicidal thinking before they leave school. 80% of those kids never ask for help because they are worried about what society will think, say, or do.

Now, as a father of 2, and through the amazing messaging of I Am Hope, I recognise that we need to foster a society where our children know they can talk to someone about these issues, and have the ability to do so before they lose hope.

I am trying to help raise awareness and promote the amazing work that I am Hope/Gumboot Friday does in NZ, to do everything we can to prevent stories such as Blakes - https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/news/real-life/blake-dalley-death-45117.

I am doing this to not only honour the people that I have lost due to mental health and suicide, but also the people I know whom have lost loved ones through mental health struggles - R.I.P Marty, Jeremy & Blake.

So on the 5th November 2022, at City Fitness Fraser Cove (Tauranga) I am going to attempt to run a marathon (42.2km) on a treadmill in gumboots.

All and any donations are welcomed, with all proceeds going directly to Gumboot Friday. Any support on the day would also be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rodney

Latest update

Reason 3.... 2 November 2022

Part 3 of why I am doing this Gumboot marathon…

Jeremy Keith Dawson

Or ‘Daws’ as he was known to most.

Everyone’s best mate. Always quick for a yarn or to break out the spoons for a sing-a-long. The life of the party.

A lot of people just link I AM HOPE and Gumboot Friday to suicide.

It is important to point out that we didn’t lose Daws to suicide. But we did lose him and partly due to mental health struggles.

I first met Daws when I moved to Matamata Primary School and we quickly became friends running around the playground doing kid stuff. I think I even went for my first sleepover at his place.

Another school change and we drifted but reconnected at high school and after leaving school we played footy for Hinuera Rugby club (up the Hinny Colts ⬛️🟨), flatted together and had a pretty tight knit crew that spent a massive amount of time together.

Everyone that knew him knew Daws was a clever bastard, loved his sports, and loved a drink.

What a lot of us didn’t know was that behind everything Daws suffered from anxiety and depression that ultimately led to an alcohol addiction.

An addiction that he tried his best to beat, but ultimately robbed his family and friends of their husband, father, son, brother, uncle and mate.

I didn’t truely know how much Daws had battled this until talking with his sister Catherine at Jeremy’s memorial service.

Daws was a larger than life character and has left a massive hole in peoples lives.

It is important to know mental health struggles don’t necessarily mean suicide attempts. People battling their demons can try and mask the pain by other means, alcohol included, and it can ultimately lead to the same loss so please check on your mates and loved ones and reach out to them if you need to.

Take it easy up there big fella 🥄

#IAMHOPE

#gumbootfriday

#mentalhealthawareness

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