Beth Garwood

I’m Running My First Half-Marathon — and I’m Doing It for Bravehearts

I am participating in Bravehearts 777 Marathon Canberra on Saturday July 5 2025. 

This year, I’ve decided to take on something I’ve never done before — running my very first half-marathon. It’s a big personal challenge, but one I’m incredibly proud to dedicate to a cause that is close to my heart: Bravehearts and their vital work in protecting children from sexual abuse.

1 in 4 Australians have experienced child sexual abuse. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a heartbreaking reality that affects far too many lives.

As a former Northern Territory police officer, I worked on frontline operations focused on child protection, as well as domestic and family violence. While that work was deeply meaningful, it also led to burnout (and subsequent diagnosis of PTSD, Moral Injury and Bipolar Disorder). What I witnessed stays with me. The bravery of children, the pain of trauma, and the significant gaps in our systems that still need so much more support.

Now, I work with Mental Illness Education ACT, where I support some of the most courageous people I’ve ever met — volunteers who share their lived experience stories of mental illness and trauma, including child sexual abuse. They do this to educate the community, reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking, and most importantly, spread a message of hope.

So, as I train (with sore legs and an even sorer ego some days!) for this half-marathon, I’m holding those stories, those children, and those survivors close to my heart.

Bravehearts is an incredible organisation that works to prevent child sexual abuse, support survivors, and drive systemic change. Their work is critical — and it needs all of us.

If you’re in a position to donate, no matter how small, please know it will make a difference. You’ll be helping Bravehearts continue their mission to protect our most vulnerable and empower those who have experienced the unimaginable.

Thank you for supporting me, and more importantly, for supporting this cause.

With gratitude,

Beth Garwood