Limpsfield resident, Ashley Fosdike has decided to charity trek to Madagascar for two weeks. She leaves on 25th October. Her chosen charity, Combat Stress, looks after military personnel and their families affected by mental health issues, including PTSD.

For almost a century, Combat Stress has been helping former servicemen and women deal with issues like trauma, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I chose this charity as a dear friend of mine came back from the Falklands War with shell shock. Then, there was little support for him or those like him. Over the intervening years, I have also suffered a mild form of PTSD, a side effect of pancreatitis that I had 10 and again 5 years ago. This will never leave me and I truly understand that people who suffer from PTSD for any reason deserve better understanding and care.”

This is not Ashley’s first trek, having walked the Great Wall of China trek last year, but it’s nevertheless still challenging and she’s been hard at training!

“When I had pancreatitis, it wasn’t certain that I would survive the illness, let alone walk again. But when I heard this this, it made me more determined than ever and here I am!  I take a multitude of drugs every day, but feel that I have truly been given a second chance at life. One that I am certainly going to make the most of.”

Ashley is putting her effort and determination to good use and hopes her endeavours will help others who may be in a dark place.

If you’d like to sponsor her on her trek, click here for her Just Giving sponsorship page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ashley-Fosdike.

Call Combat Stress – 0800 138 1619 – free 24-hour Helpline for veterans and serving military personnel and their families.

Combat Stress Website