Ljays Half Marathon for Women's Refuge

I would love if you would get behind me as I raise funds to support such a vital organisation here in Aotearoa - Women's refuge.

Being someone who has personally benefited from Wellington Women's Refuge, I cannot begin to express how incredible their mahi is. Women's Refuge work extremely hard to empower women to live a life free of abuse.

For a number of years I found myself trapped in an abusive cycle, not being able to make sense of what was going on. I went from loving life & having confidence, to being crippled with fear, isolated, exhausted, beaten down & living in full survival mode. My entire world was falling apart & I felt extremely helpless. I was lucky enough to have been connected with women's refuge, who Journeyed alongside me to help break the cycle of abuse.

For women who have been abused, coming to terms with the reality of their situation can be extremely difficult. Often it takes a decent amount of time to gain the courage to seek help. Women's Refuge provide a safe, trusting and supportive environment which encourages women to face their painful reality. Their programme's have been extremely successful, with my story being one of them. They provide knowledge around the complex topic of 'abuse', which allows victims to understand what they have been enduring.

My desire is that my story of hope will encourage others & bring more awareness to abuse.