Depression sufferer raises 10k for charities in 2500 mile walk
By Ian Birch
One in four of us will suffer from a mental illness at some point in our lifetime and this weekend chornic depresion suffer Stuart Jessop raised awareness of his condition by completing a 2,500 mile walk across England's borders, arriving at London's famous Tower Bridge.
With his springer spaniel for company, Stuart, 54, will be keeping a journal of his experiences on route. Having suffered from chronic depression for decades, the walk has helped him tackle his illness. Mental Healthy have published many studies that show the benefit of exercise, and Stuart here, tells of how it has kept him upbeat:
“In the past, my illness has left me feeling overwhelmed. You want to be left alone and have some peace. Walking by myself has provided that, and having a target for the trek helps me overcome the ‘why bother?’ attitude so characteristic of depression.”
Stuart has attracted attention from the likes of Readers Digest and a BBC Radio 4 edition of Ramblings, as well as local press. This sort of attention is very welcome as it highlights the great work SANE do, as well as showing the courage and fortitude of the man himself. Along the 2,500-mile solo trek Stuart gave talks to mental health support groups, Rotary Clubs and individuals.
SANE’s Black Dog campaign was a source of inspiration to Stuart, he says, “the great thing about Black Dog is the way it’s bringing a symbol of mental health to so many different workplaces and communities as it travels around the country. The dog sculptures are raising awareness of mental health problems in an amusing way without detracting from their seriousness and by making the subject more accessible to everyday life it means they can be talked about openly and not just by doctors.”
Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of SANE says, “Stuart’s walk is a remarkable achievement, not just because of the enormous effort it took and show of unstinting dedication, but for the message he gives out for others.”
SANE is a leading UK mental health charity founded by Marjorie Wallace following the public response to her series of articles The Forgotten Illness in The Times. It aims to raise awareness and combat prejudice and stigma about mental illness, understand the causes of mental illness, leading to better treatments and therapies and to provide immediate help through its SANEline help line.
