Manal Koujan
Manal's fundraiser for MQ Mental Health Research
Fundraising for MQ Mental Health Research
Story
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'” - Mary Anne Radmacher
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Everything we do has the power to make a difference. With this challenge to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, I hope to do just that, make a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health challenges and the people that love them.
I hope you will join me on my journey and donate to support this fantastic charity, MQ Mental Health Research, the UK's leading charity in mental health research and Deutsche Bank's UK Charity of the Year 2022-23.
I will be self funding my trip and so anything you give will be for MQ plus Deutsche Bank will match the donation. Thank you and I appreciate your generosity and caring support.
Why am I raising funds for Mental Health
Mental health impacts us all in ways we neither recognise nor understand. It can show up as anxiety, depression, and other debilitating conditions, affecting individuals of all ages & backgrounds.
The impact goes beyond the individual, with family and friends witnessing the struggle and experiencing the challenge of supporting their loved ones.
I have seen and experienced this with family and close friends. The young son of our friend diagnosed with schizophrenia and her struggle to support him, a friend at work dealing with depression, and a family member struggling with anxiety. Mental health affects us all.
When my close friend David shared what happened with his sister-in-law Dee, and the challenge he wanted to achieve in her memory while supporting others, it resonated deeply, and I offered to join him.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, The Roof of Africa
Those who know me will be surprised that I'm doing this. I've never hiked or trekked, and camping for me was a bed sheet spread across two chairs in the living room when I was 7yrs old!
Mount Kilimanjaro has always captured my imagination, a snow-capped summit at 5,895m with the African plain spread before it, supporting diverse wildlife, including lions, elephants and giraffes.
With David, Sam and Adam, three amazing people that I am honoured to call my friends, supporting each other on this six-day trek to the snow-capped summit, we will hike for hours, scramble up a shear wall, sleep in tents (can't believe we didn't take the route with the huts!) and deal with the altitude.
The thought of doing this both scares and excites me. I am entirely out of my comfort zone on many levels, yet I am inspired to break through and do this.
A challenging experience, physically and mentally, in support of an even more challenging condition.
Thank you for taking the time to come here. I hope you will join me on this journey and, through your generous donation, make a difference in the lives of individuals and families impacted by mental health challenges.
“The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt
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The Charity, MQ Mental Health Research
I am raising funds for MQ, Deutsche Bank's UK Charity of the Year 2022-23. MQ is the UK's leading charity for mental health research, transforming lives through research and helping to create a future where mental illnesses are understood, effectively treated, and one day prevented.
A worthy cause supported by a fantastic charity.