Yesterday saw Team Jami, made up of Michele, Jonny and Mark run 26.2 miles through the streets of London in 23-degree heat in an amazing effort to raise much needed funds for Jami, the community’s mental health service. Collectively, Team Jami have so far raised an incredible £22,000!
The dedication and effort that Team Jami had put into training for, and running the marathon paid off as they all completed the marathon in fantastic times. Mark was the first to cross the finish line with a great time of just under 5 hours. Mark said “I am running for Jami because I think helping people to get their lives back on track and supporting people through difficult times is a very important thing to do, and because we all need to talk more about our mental health.”
Michele decided to run her first marathon to coincide with her 60th birthday and is something that she has been keen to tick off her bucket list. Michele said she chose to run for Jami as she knows how difficult living with a mental illness can be for both the person with the diagnosis and their family. Michele said “in November 2011, a close family member attempted to take their own life. A shocking event and completely unexpected – it leaves a legacy that has an impact on day-to-day-lives and will continue to do”. Michele’s story has inspired many and was featured as a case study on the BBC.Passionate about the cause and with sheer perseverance, Michele has raised a staggering £15,000 for Jami!
Jonny Lethbridge chose to run for Jami and The Southover Partnership as he too knows how mental illness can have a devastating impact on the family and how crucial their services are for people experiencing a mental health problem. Jonny’s daughter had missed over a year of school, had over 70 medical consultations, been prescribed over 25 medications, and sadly attempted suicide 75 times, all before she was 10 years old. Jonny is keen to break the stigma and raise awareness of mental health so that more can be done for those who need support. Jonny commented “Running the London Marathon was one of the hardest challenges of my life. But does not come close to the challenge of raising a child with mental health conditions. Without the support of charities like JAMI this challenge would be impossible. That’s why it was a pleasure to run and raise funds for the amazing work of Jami.”
If you would like to support Team Jami, please donate here.
If you’ve been inspired by the stories from Team Jami 2018 and would like to run for Jami in next year’s London Marathon, please contact Muriel Stempel on 0208 458 2223 or email her at Muriel.stempel@jamiuk.org
