Hi everyone!

My name is Kasun (Muna) and I'm currently a 4th year medical student at the University of Birmingham. Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page! 

What are we doing?

My good friends Archie and Molly, and myself, are going to be climbing the three peaks (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon) and trekking the (approximately) 400 miles between the peaks for our chosen charities. I know it sounds absolutely bonkers but as a famous man once said: 'the word impossible isn't in my dictionary'...

What's my story?

I'm raising money for Mind because a countless number of my friends have suffered from mental health issues in the past and, not too long ago, so did I.

Towards the end of 2020 my mental health was at an all-time low, yet no-one knew. The impact of lockdown and a combination of other reasons made me lose trust and confidence in the people around me and I kept my problems bottled up. I didn't think it would really help to talk about it and I just brushed over it like it was nothing. At the time I just felt like no-one would take it seriously (or would care) because I've always been quick to bounce back from challenging mental situations in the past. Of course this wasn't the case but it was my lack of openness that meant I received almost no support from any of the people I was close to. I ended up in a painful and debilitating downward spiral over the Christmas holidays. At times, it felt like I'd never been more alone. I lost my appetite, I couldn't get a good night's sleep and there was just nothing that I found pleasurable in my life anymore. It felt like I had no-one to turn to and I tried to process my feelings alone. Outwardly, I tried to maintain my 'normal' happy and friendly persona, even though I felt completely destroyed inside. This was undoubtedly one of the darkest periods of my life.

The impact was immediate and profound when I chose to open up to some of my closest friends and family. A huge weight was suddenly lifted off my shoulders and I can't explain in words the incredibly positive effect this has had on my life. Everyone going through a tough time should seek support from their nearest and dearest and be open about their struggles because it can truly make an incredible difference! Take comfort in knowing that everyone faces adversity in their lives but without the lows, the highs simply can't be reached. 

It's okay not to be okay.

Why is mental health so important?

Everyone has mental health and it's crucial to maintain it at a healthy level!

Every year, 1 in 4 people will experience some form of mental health problem. Furthermore, it's estimated that 50% of adults and 68% of children have experienced worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

I am unbelievably lucky to have an incredible support network that allowed me to recover quickly from that particular experience. Millions of others, however, face significantly greater mental health challenges with little to no support. It's so important that these people, no matter how young or old, get the support they need and, most importantly, deserve. If this past year has taught us anything, the possibilities are endless if we all just help each other out.

With this in mind, I couldn't just sit and do nothing. I decided that I wanted to make a difference and committed to fundraising for Mind. Mind is a charity that provides advice and invaluable support for anyone with a mental health problem and they campaign to increase awareness, improve services and promote understanding that mental health really matters. Just last year, the Mind website was accessed 18 million times for mental health information and more than 330,000 people were supported by the local services provided. They really do make such an important difference to many of us here in the UK!

Even if you can't donate at this time, I hope that by sharing my story it's made you realise that there shouldn't be any stigma attached to mental health. It's such a crucial part of everyone's lives and we should all talk about it openly and without fear!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and please give what you can. I will be so grateful and it will genuinely make such a difference!

Big love,

Muna x