Raising awareness of the impact of addiction

On October 16th, I'll be running the Amsterdam marathon.

I've never publicly discussed this, but it's important to speak up and be comfortable discussing complex topics.

My family has been affected by addiction, specifically alcoholism, for over 15 years. My mother has been sober for over a decade, and I’m incredibly proud of her and how far she has come. Lucky enough, I had an incredible father and broader family that helped me and my siblings get to where we are today. The impact of addiction never goes away, and the journey is different for everyone.

Many families aren't as lucky. Alcoholism and addiction have impacted more people around you than you realise. In the UK, 1 in 5 children are affected by alcoholism. In New Zealand, a third of families are affected by alcohol and drug problems.

I'll be raising money for Odyssey, a recovery centre where my mum was for two years. Odyssey helps individuals overcome addiction and is the only recovery centre in New Zealand that focuses on helping rebuild family relationships via their family centre, allowing families to spend time together through the recovery journey.

Odyssey has had an incredible impact on my family, so I've set a target of raising $15,000 NZD (£8,000 ish), which will go directly to families in need. Any donation, no matter the size, would be greatly appreciated. If you can't, please share this post! Throughout the process, I'll document my training, share insights and stories about addiction.

My beautiful friends Stefan and Vishal will also run the marathon alongside me. I'll be organising a few things in Amsterdam before and after the marathon so keep an eye out!

Massive shout out to a talented friend Thomas for helping me bring my vision together and taking these incredible photos.

Sending everyone big love and wanting to remind you it's okay to ask for help.