On March 2, a group of eight Canadian runners comprising first responders and navy personnel accomplished an 800-kilometre run from the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island right down to Victoria. The group spent eight days working by way of quite a few communities, elevating funds and consciousness for Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) psychological well being packages.
The group set a fundraising purpose of C$250,000 and, on the time of publication, had raised 96 per cent of the goal. Among the many eight contributors had been Comox Valley paramedic Francesca Lott, Comox Valley RCMP officer Paul Jones, Royal Canadian Air Power member Dan Bodden, retired Canadian Armed Forces dental officer Nathalie Butler and Metropolis of Victoria Deputy Chief Jason Laidman.
“Our purpose is to assist the individuals subsequent door, your coworkers, and folk in your neighborhood,” wrote Wounded Warrior Run director Jacqueline Zweng on the message behind the run. “Each greenback raised stays proper right here on Vancouver Island, supporting psychological well being packages for first responders, veterans and their households by way of WWC.”
On the fourth day of their journey, the group made a particular cease in Comox for a brief group run with RCMP members and navy personnel from CFB Comox. The group divided the 800-km problem into eight to 10-km legs, with runners alternating every leg.
The entire contributors perceive firsthand the struggles of post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD). Lott, who has labored as a paramedic in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, advised Victoria Information she had witnessed quite a few traumatic incidents. Her purpose on this problem was to assist break the stigma surrounding trauma and encourage these struggling to hunt assist.
“There’s all the time been that previous mentality, particularly with trauma-exposed professions, the place you see issues and also you simply ‘suck it up and hold going,’ and also you form of bury these emotions,” Lott defined. “However it’s OK to begin speaking about it and understanding what’s occurring to us physiologically and mentally. It’s OK for individuals to be weak and share their emotions after they’ve been uncovered to traumatic incidents.”
Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) is a nationwide psychological well being service devoted to supporting trauma-exposed organizations, professionals and their households. They provide companies that mix training, counselling and coaching to assist people construct resilience and get well from post-trauma accidents, specializing in serving Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, first responders and their households.
The group of first responders and navy personnel obtained a big heat welcome after they arrived at Victoria’s Market Sq. on Sunday, March 2. “It’s been completely unreal,” Lott stated. “Each single member of this group is superb. They’ve all gone by way of their very own traumas, they usually’ve all been courageous sufficient to discuss them.”
Should you’d wish to make a contribution to the group and WWC, you are able to do so right here.