For this week's blog, we sat down with Ballarat Podiatrist, Mary Naam, who is spending her weekends walking miles & miles all for a good cause.
Currently, you're raising money & awareness by walking for the Black Dog Institute, tell us about it
Black Dog Institute is a not-for-profit medical research institute, with an affiliation with UNSW Sydney and a partnerships with people with lived experience. The institute investigates new and better ways to treat and prevent conditions like suicide prevention, digital innovation, lived experience, youth and workplace mental health.
The figures suggest that 1 in 5 people experience symptoms of mental illness each year, with 8 people dying from suicide in Australia every day. From what we know about mental health, these figures are likely under-reported. Mental illness can be debilitating and can have a devastating impact on not only those living with it, but those around them. Given that October is mental health awareness month, I teamed up with a few friends to take part in the Black Dog Institute's One Foot Forward challenge.
What exactly inspired you to take up this particular cause?
I decided to take up this cause, because I have witnessed first hand the negative impact of mental illness. So, I value good mental health. Walking happens to be one of the things that helps me with my own mental health, so it was an added advantage for me.
In addition to that, I interact with so many diverse people each day, who confide in me. Through all those conversations I have learnt that a lot of people are either living with mental illness, or have a loved one who is.
By putting One Foot Forward for people living with mental illness, we can fund life-changing research and vital support services for those who need it most.
So, walking all these kilometres, what have you learnt about looking after your feet?
I have two great tips for anyone who wants to look after their feet.
#1: Don't ignore pain. Aches and pains are not normal. You only get the two feet, so they should be feeling great all of the time.
#2: Check your feet daily and have a podiatrist check them regularly also. Just as you check your eyes and teeth, your feet should be checked by a health professional also.
Check out Mary's fundraising here: https://www.onefootforward.org.au/fundraiser/ThreeXSisters