Lily & Kieran’s Sheffield Half Marathon 2022

For this years Sheffield Half Marathon, Myself & Kieran are raising money in aid of ANDYSMANCLUB.

ANDYSMANCLUB is a male suicide prevention charity. They facilitate non professional peer to peer support groups across the UK and Scotland for any man to attend over 18. They provide a confidential non judgemental space for men to come together to chat about anything that they would like to get off of their chest. They have no waiting list, no referral or signing in process.

My wonderful Brother In Law, Ben, signed up to do the Sheffield Half in 2021, which was postponed from March to September due to covid. However, he sadly lost his battle to Mental Health in July, meaning he was never able to accomplish what he set out to do.

Ben was the brother I never had. Always supportive, caring and always made us laugh. He always checked in on me making sure I was okay or even just random messages like “hello voldermort/dog breath/shrek, how you doing?” just to remind me of how annoying he could be at times, but also just a little reminder to let me know that he’s there. If only he let us in about how he was feeling. If only he gave us a sign to show that he was struggling. I would do anything to turn back the clock and tell him how much he meant to us all. If I had the chance, I’d tell him how much of a fantastic dad he is, how much my sister loves him, how my parents see him as one of their own, how much respect and love I have for him and how much he deserves to live and not leave. But I can’t, because it’s too late.

The past 8 months have been nothing but hell and heartache for mine and Ben’s family. No one fully understand the impact of mental health issues or suicide until you experience it yourself or have gone through it on behalf of another. Everywhere you look, in the news, on social media, on the TV, there’s always someone who has gone missing, but you never expect it to be one of your own.

There is help out there, whether it’s from loved ones, friends, colleagues, AMC, The Samaritans, NHS or therapists etc. Andy Wilson from AMC in Sheffield helped us through a very painful period, and still checks in on how we are today. This is because people want to help. They want to stop the stigma and for men to understand that #ITSOKAYTOTALK and that the world doesn’t just fall on their shoulders.

Just want to say a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to my family and friends, we couldn’t have got through this time without your incredible support. For my Sister Jesmin, you're so strong, I’m so so proud of everything you do and for being the best mummy you can be to our beautiful Oscar, who sends his love to you Ben by blowing kisses every night to his daddy in the sky. I can’t thank Kieran enough for wanting to do this with me, but for also being my shoulder to cry on when things just get a bit too much at times. The one to make me laugh and smile when I need it the most. We will finish the race for Ben and for every other man that has lost their battle to mental health.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us❤️