Hi, my name is Anya, I'm 16, and in a few weeks, I will be taking on the Junior Great North Run in a way I never expected — walking with an osteochondral lesion in my ankle. It’s an injury I've had since February 2025, and while waiting for surgery, one that has made me unable to play the sports I love, or even hike with my family and run around with my friends without pain. But I’m determined to show young people that strength isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up and doing what you can anyway.

I’m raising money for EvoSol England Chapter, a youth‑led nonprofit chapter my friends and I started. It is dedicated to helping children understand their health and wellbeing through workshops, resources and community engagement. Some of us in the team live with chronic illness or mental health challenges. We aim to help children feel more confident in asking for help with their wellbeing without the fear of seeming or feeling like they are weak - because many of us have been there ourselves.

This walk is my reminder to them: even when life slows you down, you can still keep going.

Every pound raised helps us reach more children across England with clear, friendly, youth‑led health education — especially when social media access changes for under‑16s. We want to take steps to make sure no child feels alone or unheard. Your donations will be used towards buying ingredients for bake sales, funding projects for children's hospitals, printing resources for children and families, and for supporting children's health organisations

I may not be able to run this year, but I will walk the 4km (at snail speed) with my bright pink bandage and a smile on my face, knowing that I am walking for something so important to myself and so many. Any donations, shares or cheers you can give would help more than you know.

I hope you’ll walk with me by supporting EvoSol England.

(Follow our journey on https://www.instagram.com/england.evosol !)