Story added: 16th March 2021

Here is how Run for Me has helped Julian, in his own words:

Julian, from Norwich, is a member of the Foundation’s Run for Me programme that supports people with their mental health through running.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and came to Run for Me looking for positive activity to help him manage his mental health, alongside the stresses of his diagnosis and treatment.

Here is how Run for Me helped him, in his own words:

“In December 2017 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In my case it was not possible to operate so the recommended treatment was seven weeks of radiotherapy followed by three years of hormone therapy, which I’m still undergoing.

The hormone treatment has a number of side effects, which have had a big effect on me: the main problems are disrupted sleep patterns, inability to concentrate, fatigue and lack of energy/stamina, mood swings and becoming emotional and depressed.

I recently had to take time off from work due to depression triggered by my treatment.

Although back at work now I am finding it difficult to concentrate and work at the levels I was previously, and find it a real struggle some days.

I was looking for some sort of activity or interest that would take my mind off things. To find something that made me focus on it and forget my other problems, to get fitter both physically and mentally. I found out about the Run For Me sessions through a Couch To 5K course that I was attending.

Our coach Dudley is supportive and understanding and takes a real interest in people.

The sessions are usually effort based, meaning that people undertake the same activity but at their own pace and there is plenty of opportunity to interact with the other members of the group and talk to them during the session.

Everyone is very empathetic and understanding and I really look forward to meeting up with them every week.

I’ve made some very good friends from the sessions and I’ve found that they enable me to focus on them alone and clear my mind of other things that I’ve got going on. Pushing myself hard at the sessions has a very calming effect on me and makes me feel very relaxed and chilled afterwards.”

Weekly Run For Me sessions return to The Nest in Norwich from April 12^th (Mondays, 10am-11am). Sessions are free, thanks to funding from the Foundation’s 10k race Run Norwich, and will be run with socially distanced measures in place.

Click here to find out more.