My Story

I am running the London Vitality 10k in September to support the community I work in- Veterinary! 

Vetlife is an independent Charity that provides free and confidential support to anyone in the UK veterinary community who has emotional, health or financial problems. Today, the Charity is providing more support than ever.

The veterinary community continues to experience significantly higher levels of depression and suicide than the general population.

The stigma associated with mental illness often acts as a barrier to accessing care, including mental health services, and indeed stigma can increase people’s reluctance to even discuss the topic in the first place. According to the results of a 2012 study of veterinary surgeons with a history of suicidal thoughts or behaviour half the participants had not talked with anyone about their problems because they felt guilty or too ashamed to seek help.

We know that one in four people in the general population will experience a mental health problem each year. By 2030, it is estimated that there will be approximately two million more adults in the UK with mental health problems than there were in 2013.

Compared to the general population, there is evidence of elevated psychological distress in the veterinary profession with higher levels of:
• anxiety
• depressive symptoms
• suicidal thoughts
• suicide risk

Please support me and help support the veterinary community.

Thank you in reading this message and bringing awareness to the veterinary industry mental health crisis.