Fleetwood mum takes on charity challenge in support of husband's battle with PTSD
A Fleetwood mum is walking 22 kilometres for 22 consecutive days in support of her husband's battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
A Fleetwood mum is walking 22 kilometres for 22 consecutive days in support of her husband's battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ex-service woman and mum of four Charlene Donnelly is completing the challenge throughout January at Gymetc in Poulton to raise funds for the charity, Combat Stress, which has given her husband a lifeline in his battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She'll be spending the best part of a month on a treadmill, walking more than 300 miles, to help raise awareness of a mental illness that is hidden and misunderstood by many others.
Having lived through the daily challenges that PTSD brings, Charlene says she was inspired by the 22 push up challenge that went viral on social media earlier this year.
She says, “I wanted to do something that took the push up challenge that little bit further as I’ve been so overwhelmed by the impact Combat Stress has had on our family this year. I’m hoping that my endless days of walking will go some distance to highlighting the long and lonely battle that my husband and all those living with PTSD deal with each and every day.” Charlene’s husband, Darren was injured whilst serving in Iraq in 2003 - he suffered in silence for 12 years before he was diagnosed with PTSD. Combat Stress has provided Darren a lifeline that many PTSD sufferers so desperately need, rebuilding his confidence and mental health through free specialist clinical treatment.
Darren is proud of his wife’s commitment to give something back for the care and support he has received.
He says, “Charlene has seen the darkest sides of my illness and thankfully has stood by me. I’m proud of her for giving this challenge a go and I hope that it will highlight the strength of all veterans’ wives and girlfriends.” Gymetc, who are supporting Charlene to complete the 22-day challenge, have set up a second treadmill alongside her so that friends, family and local residents can join her each day to walk in the shoes of veterans living with PTSD. Charlene is hoping to raise as much money as possible to help fund the cost of the six week Intensive Treatment Programme so that Combat Stress can continue to change the lives of veterans and their families.
You can support her challenge by donating to her Just Giving campaign at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/charlenedonnelly
You can also text PTSD90 to 70070