Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs is a national charity that supports anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland. We give information and advice to many people and help them with confidence, communication, general wellbeing, and we link them into local support. We also help people recognise and understand the importance of looking after themselves.

My life and many others lives have been torn apart by the cruelty of the illness which is addiction. Over the last few years or longer I have watched many people I have worked with, come to care for or close friends lose a loved one due to some form of drug or alcohol related death, directly or indirectly. Everyone has been affected by addiction or at least knows someone who has. 

We live in a society that is quick to judge about addiction but if I had a magic wand and one wish it would be that people can see those individuals and think about how their reaction would be different if it was their parent, child or sibling. 

Just a few months ago, I suddenly lost my Dad who had a lifetime battle with addiction. The daily struggle of grief is not something I have yet come to terms with. 

Running a Half Marathon event has been on my bucket list for sometime now but was not possible during Covid. In light of the restrictions being lifted I signed up for the most recent Edinburgh Half Marathon which I was really looking forward to and wanting to tick off as a personal achievement and challenge. There was an unfortunate and unexpected turn of events and my Dad sadly passed away just weeks before the event, I felt in no way emotionally, mentally or physically up to doing the event. Now I feel more dedicated than ever to achieve a personal goal of mine for a cause greater than I could have imagines.

I have been in awe of this charity and the work that they do for many years as a professional in this sector, now I wear a more personal hat and my love for SFAD and the work they do has grown even stronger. 

At my Dad's funeral, SFAD was the nominated charity to show support to and people donated so generously. I would like to use this opportunity as an extension of that. 

All in all, it would be the privilege of my life to represent SFAD and even raise a small amount of money in memory of a man who makes my heart full. In memory of my Dad - who was purely good but caught up by the challenges, barriers and lack of compassion towards addiction that we all know too well. 

I will commit my career, my life and will never give up on a cause that is so close to my heart. I hope in years to come I can be involved in even the smallest of change to prevent others from going through the excruciating devastation of family addiction.