Natalya Platonova – Serving British Soldier, Talks About Mental Health & Fundraising.

Natalya Platonva – Honors & awards – The Commander Field Army Commendation Jan 2020 for outstanding service to the British Army.

On Sunday 8th May 2022 I will be embarking on a 185km trek from Oxford to Buckingham Palace along the Thames path. I will be cuffed to a 3kg medicine ball the whole way. Why? Because this medicine ball signifies the silent weight, torment, and suffering of mental illness that so many of us carry on our own. I will walk on behalf of everyone who is struggling and cannot find their voice to talk through distressing emotions.

This Christmas I too did not have a voice, I too felt like I could not speak and I came to the conclusion that the best way forward for me was to end my life. What brought me back from that dark period was finding the confidence to talk and confide in loved ones about how I was feeling. It is incredibly difficult to let go of that burden without feeling like you will pass it on to someone else. So we lock it away and suffer in silence. There is still a massive stigma in regards to mental wellness. I want to help break that stigma with every mile I cover. I won’t be approached by strangers whilst I walk and for that curiosity to turn into honest conversations. Remember, someone’s smile could be masking something else beneath the surface.

If this resonates with you, please donate, support, and share this far and wide. Thank you 🙏🏼

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

Combat Stress

https://events.soldierscharity.org/fundraisers/natalyaplatonova/medicine-ball-challenge


British Army

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