The NHS is the largest employer in the UK with over 1.2 million healthcare workers. Sadly, stress, burnout and mental illness in these healthcare heroes is rising and occurring earlier in their careers with 63% of trainees found to be at moderate or high risk or burnout (The GMC, 2022). And even more tragically, several healthcare workers die by suicide each year.

I am a proud Trustee of Doctors in Distress, the leading national charity working to a) nurture the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers and to b) prevent suicides in healthcare workers.

Having lost colleagues to suicide, I am particularly passionate about this cause. Therefore, I will be taking on a marathon a month until the Comrades Marathon in June to raise money for Doctors in Distress to help them conduct support groups for vulnerable colleagues and provide life-saving help.

I will be taking part in:

21st January - Tata Mumbai Marathon

4th February - Warwick Half Marathon

18th February - Naseby 1645

17th March - St Patrick's Day Run

24th March - Spen 20

31st March - Gloucester Half Marathon

6th April - Bratislava 10K

7th April - Bratislava Marathon

21st April - London Marathon

3rd May - 40 Mile Run

18th May - White Peak Marathon

9th June - Comrades Marathon, South Africa