Ciara

I wanted to increase my fitness as I’m currently in an office job with lots of treats about! I decided to take up running and needed a goal to keep me focused and on track which is when one of my RPS groups sent out a message calling for runners to participate in a charity run in aid of Pharmacist Support in May 2015. This was obviously an ideal opportunity and I signed up only having previously been exposed to Pharmacist Support at the annual RPS conference. I was apprehensive about asking for donations up against the Nepal crisis and other big charities like MIND however I turned to my pharmacist friends and co-workers and the support was not only amazing but I felt that so much more was gained. One of my friends gave generously to my run because they admitted they had previously contacted Pharmacist Support for advice and had been helped when they thought their situation was hopeless, another donated to my run and then came quietly to me a few days later to ask for the charity contact details for a pharmacist friend who was going through a tough situation in her job. All this to make me run 5k (which I managed to do in about 35mins!) but I feel that it was so much more than money I was able to raise – the awareness has made a difference to my friends and colleagues. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to support Pharmacist Support in any way they can to do so – I’ve been very fortunate to be able to offer support but there could be a day when I need them and I am so pleased that they are there and able to do the work they do.