Bridget Smith

I’m walking 60km this October for mental health, and this challenge means so much more to me than simply reaching 60km.

Mental health has touched my life in ways I never expected. I know what it feels like to struggle myself, but I also know what it feels like to watch someone you love more than anything struggle too.

I’ve sat in a hospital beside someone I love, terrified that I might lose them, wishing more than anything that I could take away whatever they were going through. There is a kind of helplessness that comes with watching someone you love hurt that I don’t think you can truly understand until you’ve experienced it. You would do absolutely anything to make them okay, but sometimes all you can do is sit beside them, love them and hope they keep fighting.

That experience has stayed with me. It has made me realise how many people are quietly fighting battles that nobody else can see, and how important it is that people feel safe enough to speak up before they reach breaking point.

So I’m doing these 60km for the people who are struggling in silence. For the people who feel like they’re a burden. For the people who are desperately trying to hold on. For the families and friends who sit beside someone they love and wish they could take their pain away. And for the people who have fought their way through the darkest moments and are still here.

I can’t fix mental health. I can’t take away someone’s pain. But I can do something.

I can walk. I can talk about it. I can help raise awareness. And I can raise money that may help someone get the support they need when they need it most. If you’re able to donate, I would be so incredibly grateful. And if you can’t, even sharing this or simply checking in on someone you love could mean more than you realise. 🩷

You never know what someone might be carrying behind a smile. ❤️