A MESSAGE FROM Jason's Fundraising Page
As somebody who has had my own share of struggles with anxiety and depression throughout my life as well as people close to me when the opporunity came to run the Chicago Marathon for a charity who's main goal is eliminating the stigma and building a world where nobody has to face mental illness and suicide alone I knew that it was something I couldn't pass up.
The thing about anxiety and depression is that it's pretty easy to hide. When I saw friends and family, I would pretend that everything was ok. When I wasn't with them, the people who surrounded me thought I was just really busy, uninterested or just unfriendly. No one really knew what was happening in my head. Truthfully I didnt know what was happening in my head. I would turn to substances or other things for a brief bit of relief but when that wore off I was right back to where I started and often times in an even worse spot.
It wasn't until I took the active steps to address what I was feeling and open up and talk about it that I truly was able to make progress in getting myself to the place that I am now. There is so much stigma surrounding mental illness and I think for a lot of people including myself they believe that they are somehow broken or that nobody will understand what you're going through. The more that organizations like NoStigmas are able to help end the stigma around mental illness and suicide and let people know that its ok to not be ok and it's also ok to ask for help the better people will be equipped to handle whatever challenges they are going through in regards to their mental health.
Please consider making a donation if you or anyone you know has ever struggled with mental illness or suicide. It is an honor to be able to run the Chicago Marathon in support of NoStigmas and I look forward to seeing everyone at the starting line!
Since 2011, NoStigmas has empowered a global peer support network of mental health advocates through education, resources and support. As a 501(c)(3) Public Charity verified by the IRS and GuideStar, you can feel confident your generous gift will be used to support these programs. Thank you for your donation!
