Charlene Donnelly
Charlene's 22km a day for 22 days
Fundraising for Combat Stress
Story
Hello, my name's Charlene and I'm a veterans wife. On the 9th of January 2017 I will be taking on the #22pushupchallenge with a twist.
For 22 days I will be walking 22km a day on a treadmill at Gymetc Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire to raise awareness of PTSD and funds for Combat Stress.
Why have I decided to take on this challenge?
In March 2003 my husband Darren was injured whist on active service in Iraq. He suffered both physical and mental injures that effect him 24 hours a day.
The physical injures are easy to deal with, it's the hidden ones that are the hardest.
In 2014 he finally asked for help and he was diagnosed with combat related PTSD. Anything can set him off, a sudden loud noise, a smell, too many people talking at once, even something a trivial as me telling him I'll be 2 minutes but I end up taking 5 minutes.
PTSD effects us as a family everyday. The days are hard and difficult but I know how to help relieve some of the pain Darren suffers from.
It's the nights that are the hardest...
Not knowing what to do to help relieve the nightmares and flashbacks that haunt him every night is hard. Feeling guilty when you have a good nights sleep, yet the person you love the most is lying there at their most vulnerable and you're completely powerless to help them.
Darren often misses out on family days with our 4 children as he just can't cope with crowds and noise.
That was until he went to Combat Stress.
In September 2016, Darren spent 6 weeks on an ITP course (intensive therapy program) at Combat Stress where he was taught several coping techniques as well as talking about his accident.
He came back an almost different person. He's not cured but I've noticed that he's not as angry anymore. He can sleep that extra hour or two before waking with a nightmare or flashback and when he does I am able to help ground him.
For the first time in our youngest daughters life, she said it was so nice to see her daddy smiling again on a regular basis, (she's 9 years old).
More than 6,000 veterans in the UK are currently suffering with PTSD. It costs £15,000 to put one veteran through the 6 week ITP course. I'd like to try and raise as much funds as possible to help Combat Stress put a smile back on someone else's Daddy or Mummy's face.
Would you show your support and donate as much or as little as you can?
If you're in the area, I would be honoured if you could spare some time to come and walk with me. It can be for as little or a long as you want, to help raise awareness of PTSD.
It's a small price to pay for a family to be able to smile again
Please share my page and if you have a spare 5 minutes take a look at the Facebook page I've set up to document each and everyday.
It can be found on Facebook under;
Charlene's 22 kilometres a day for 22 days
Feel free to like it for regular updates and share if you can
xx
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity
For 22 days I will be walking 22km a day on a treadmill at Gymetc Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire to raise awareness of PTSD and funds for Combat Stress.
Why have I decided to take on this challenge?
In March 2003 my husband Darren was injured whist on active service in Iraq. He suffered both physical and mental injures that effect him 24 hours a day.
The physical injures are easy to deal with, it's the hidden ones that are the hardest.
In 2014 he finally asked for help and he was diagnosed with combat related PTSD. Anything can set him off, a sudden loud noise, a smell, too many people talking at once, even something a trivial as me telling him I'll be 2 minutes but I end up taking 5 minutes.
PTSD effects us as a family everyday. The days are hard and difficult but I know how to help relieve some of the pain Darren suffers from.
It's the nights that are the hardest...
Not knowing what to do to help relieve the nightmares and flashbacks that haunt him every night is hard. Feeling guilty when you have a good nights sleep, yet the person you love the most is lying there at their most vulnerable and you're completely powerless to help them.
Darren often misses out on family days with our 4 children as he just can't cope with crowds and noise.
That was until he went to Combat Stress.
In September 2016, Darren spent 6 weeks on an ITP course (intensive therapy program) at Combat Stress where he was taught several coping techniques as well as talking about his accident.
He came back an almost different person. He's not cured but I've noticed that he's not as angry anymore. He can sleep that extra hour or two before waking with a nightmare or flashback and when he does I am able to help ground him.
For the first time in our youngest daughters life, she said it was so nice to see her daddy smiling again on a regular basis, (she's 9 years old).
More than 6,000 veterans in the UK are currently suffering with PTSD. It costs £15,000 to put one veteran through the 6 week ITP course. I'd like to try and raise as much funds as possible to help Combat Stress put a smile back on someone else's Daddy or Mummy's face.
Would you show your support and donate as much or as little as you can?
If you're in the area, I would be honoured if you could spare some time to come and walk with me. It can be for as little or a long as you want, to help raise awareness of PTSD.
It's a small price to pay for a family to be able to smile again
Please share my page and if you have a spare 5 minutes take a look at the Facebook page I've set up to document each and everyday.
It can be found on Facebook under;
Charlene's 22 kilometres a day for 22 days
Feel free to like it for regular updates and share if you can
xx
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity