Evan Birch's Fundraiser
Bigger Than the Trail provides access to counseling and peer to peer supports. Reducing the barriers to asking for HELP.
The organization was born from the endurance, trail and ultra community. Stigma is bigger than the trail. Providing direct access to vital supports on and off the trail. Every $180 donated provides 3 months of free counseling.
A supporter of Evan Birch
"Calgary is On - Community trail run and relay. Nearly 100 YYC runners and run crews came together to raise these funds."
$750
As a continued mental health advocate within the running community, my story and my why for raising money for Bigger Than The Trail was born from a renewed relationship with running following my own mental health challenges. Running has given me so much, as well as the community that took me in.
MY STORY
I dedicated my life and career to emergency services. For two decades I helped thousands of people, saved countless lives and comforted many more who were having the worst day of theirs.
In turn it broke me… because of inadequate tools and a system that has never evolved to support those who dedicate their lives to helping others. I was an empty shell. My identity shattered. My mind in shards. I gave up on running for months. I pushed people away.I blamed myself. My sleep was disrupted, filled with terror. I denied the pain. My confidence battered. I stopped caring about me and others. I couldn’t even look myself in the mirror. I tried to do it alone for months. I was spiraling.
Although help is just a four letter word. It was so incredibly hard to ask for.
Until I did…
⚡️flash⚡️forward to today. I am now running forward. I am running toward life. I have a renewed sense of confidence. I tackled my trauma head on. I developed a new love for my running. I welcomed the pain in and sat with it. I felt and listened to my emotions. I got vulnerable, my new superpower. I reached out to family-friends-strangers. I developed a sense of self worth. I found a new shell 🐚. I put the pieces back together.
I am proud to say that I will be giving back in a new way to the running community through @biggerthanthetrail as an ambassador, soon to be co-facilitator of the peer to peer groups and raising funds for this outstanding organization as a continued mental health advocate within the run community.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Join me in supporting real change. Let’s support good in the world and make a difference. Help Bigger Than The Trail provide free access to counseling services, directly impact our communities by helping those in need when and where it matters most. It's ok to not be ok.
Just a small donation will go a long way to helping me meet my goal for BIGGER THAN THE TRAIL. Every $180 donated provides 3 months of counseling.