Hi there! My name is Adam Parkinson-Kelly and I’ll be participating in the 50km Fundraiser for MMM. You too can participate through hiking, walking, cycling or running. With suicide being the leading cause of death for men globally and having battled with mental illnesses throughout my own life, I immediately recognised the importance of a fundraiser like this and was keen to get involved. As we progress as a society, we see a greater increase in having comfortable discussions about the necessity to look after and maintain our own mental well-being and that of our loved ones. Nonetheless, the issue still persists and many people still feel overwhelmed by the idea of seeking help even when they need it. By joining this fundraiser, I hope that more of these discussions are had and more money is invested into charities such as these. In my own experience, I’ve witnessed and dealt with the debilitating effects of depression and other devastating mental health crises. People very close to me have sought out help and received it, but still find no way out of the darkness that they’re enveloped in. Grieving over someone who has taken their own life is a curse that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone else and much less have expected to deal with in my own life. Suicide creates a chain reaction, rippling into the lives of your loved ones and scarring them for life. In memory of a man who was a key father figure in my life, Richard Rigby, I’ll be pursuing this challenge and helping to fundraise in hopes that someone out there will get access to the help they need and find the strength within themselves to keep going, no matter how much life seems to beat them down.