This Autumn, I will be taking on the Royal Parks Half Marathon and raising funds for Suicide &Co.

Most people who know me will know that we lost Dad to suicide in April 2020. At the time, I remember desperately wanting to find more information about how those left behind felt and also how they were able to recover. My biggest fear was that I would never be able to live a normal life again.

This charity has grown to produce exactly that reassurance I was searching for, giving a voice to those who have been bereaved by suicide and making sure that those who are no longer with us are not forgotten or summarised only because of how they died and not given full credit for who they were.

Suicide&Co also provide counselling to those who have lost someone to suicide, providing an essential outlet. Again, anyone who knows me will have heard me refer to therapy many times (both the good and the bad) and I cannot advocate it enough. Processing this type of trauma is hugely helped by external support as it is just so complicated. The conflicting emotions, the absolute confusion and the grief on top is really extreme. However we can support will make a huge difference.

The first (and only other) half marathon I ran was in 2019 with Dad. Well, he tried to overtake me so not much of it was together and I still managed to beat him... So, I am looking forward to training again for this and while he is not physically here this time, it'll be a good opportunity to remember him, our runs together and also contemplate and feel proud of all that we as a family have achieved since we lost him as well.