A life-changing event inspired me to run for SameYou
I found SameYou late into my recovery, but I felt I’d found a place where I was understood and a place where there were helpful resources and signposts.
My name is Rachel and in January 2021, I had a subarachnoid haemorrhage. It was a shock and when I left hospital after 4 days, I had no information and no idea what to expect. I certainly didn’t know how much my life would change.
I was super lucky and my recovery has been relatively straightforward, but I still see and feel the impact of my haemorrhage every day. Sometimes this is tiredness, other days skills that have changed.
It was this life-changing event that inspired me to run a marathon before my 40th birthday which is in September! So here I go.
Why fundraise for SameYou?
I found SameYou late into my recovery, but once I did, it felt like I’d found a place where I was understood and a place where there were helpful resources and signposts. It’s a small charity with a big impact on the people who need it. I love the new ideas and the evolution hence my decision to become a SameYou fundraiser.
What I found rewarding about fundraising for SameYou?
Fundraising has actually been my motivating factor. I’ve found training far more difficult than I had anticipated and on my particularly tough runs, the only thing keeping me going has been knowing that I’ve raised money for SameYou. I feel so proud that I’m contributing to resources that are going to help people progress in their recovery.
Rachel's fundraising tips...
Having a goal will help you and encourage friends to help you reach it, but it's important to set a realistic target. Any contribution will make a difference. Here, Rachel shares her top tips for fundraising:
- I found Facebook really helpful with promoting my JustGiving page. I’ve been posting it every few weeks in the lead up to the Marathon and have a few sponsors each time.
- I had a post added onto my work intranet with some information about why I am raising money. This proved really popular.
- I also sent the link on my WhatsApp groups.
For more tips to help your fundraising efforts, please see SameYou's fundraising guide.
Why Rachel encourages other supporters to fundraise for SameYou
SameYou is a brilliant charity doing really valuable work. I would have felt so alone without SameYou and the incredible stories, recovery information, advice and sense of community.
SameYou is more than a charity, it’s a lifeline for those who have suffered a brain injury.
Fundraising for SameYou has given me a goal to work towards and has been a meaningful step in providing a sense of purpose after brain injury.
Fundraising for SameYou
By fundraising for SameYou, you support the charity's work to develop better mental health recovery treatment for survivors, create self-help resources for survivors when they go back home and raise awareness of the impact of brain injury.
Take action today
Don't wait any longer, if you're thinking of taking part in a sporting event, get in touch to find out how you could make the most of this opportunity to fundraise for SameYou.
By supporting SameYou, you can help raise awareness of brain injury and help close the rehabilitation and emotional support gap that survivors and their families experience during recovery.