Warrior Run: The Race For Life - Hold Onto Hope

So many individuals are affected by mental illness; some visible with outward signs, some not so visible. It isn’t treated or accepted the same way as physical diseases. People are ashamed, embarrassed, and fearful, all because they have a disease affecting their brain. Most people suffer in silence because of this fear, my sister being one of them. It affects people of all walks of life; rich, poor, all races, all creeds, all professions. It does not discriminate.

Beth graduated with a BS in psychology and a masters in psychology with dreams to help children who suffered from various mental illness. She positively affected so many lives, succeeded in many professional positions, and was considered an integral part of the team before the disease left her unable to function anymore. Standing by her side through this battle with her own brain and watching a beautiful, strong, highly regarded professional women become so broken by depression was incredibly challenging with my own feelings of helplessness. Multiple treatments were used but she was refractory and left with the unpleasant side effects. She had lost all hope to ever get better, to ever feel happiness again.

This area of medicine is extremely difficult. There are very few diagnostic tests that offer answers, the cost of treatment is incredibly expensive, insurance does not cover a wide range of practitioners, the side effects of treatment are very unpleasant, treatment can be a lot of hard and emotionally painful work, and the stigma. Why can survivors of cancer, stroke, heart attack, premature birth proudly wear t-shirts and post bumper stickers, proud to say they are survivors but those of mental illness cannot? Much of this race is not about the money, it’s about breaking the silence of the stigma, realizing that anyone can be affected by this illness, and that they are worthy of love, respect, and most importantly understanding just like everyone else.

We had many conversations about hope throughout her illness. Just a few days before Beth’s passing, she told me she was losing hope. I told her to hold onto hope, and even if she didn’t believe there was any hope to hold onto, to hold onto the hope of hope. Join me on October 6, 2018 at 5:15 in Mariemont, Ohio on team “Hold onto Hope”, giving hope to those who’ve lost it and to honor those who never found it. Let's run to celebrate her life surrounded by friends, family, and like-minded individuals with the common goal to raise awareness of mental illness and suicide.

Connect with others about this event and see who's going!

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Hold Onto Hope Members

• $50.00 from Jane Ahlrichs - Contribute to a Team
• $100.00 from Kathleen Schroeder - Contribute to a Team
• $50.00 from David Sonny - Contribute to a Team
• David Sonny - 1-Mile Participant
• Jamie Hilfer - 5K Participant
• $10.00 from Jennie Pegram - Contribute to a Team
• $10.00 from Liz Carr - Contribute to a Team
• $50.00 from Susan Haines - Contribute to a Team
• $100.00 from Rachel Strawn, Elliott Strawn - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Amy Roe - 5K Participant
• $50.00 from Melinda MacDougall - Contribute to a Team
• Sonja Mcgill - 5K Participant
• $50.00 from Barbara Willis - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Noel Humphries, Jane Humphries - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Nicole Herron - 5K Participant
• Lois Mcdaniel craig - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Betty Sonny - 1-Mile Participant
• Mike Sonny - 5K Participant
• Jillian Sonny - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)

Hold Onto Hope has raised $470.00.