Tamara Ansell

It’s been a hard year

Support my swim for mental health

Back in May I woke up in the ICU following my hysterectomy and cystoscopy to treat my endometriosis and adenomysis . 

While I had mentally prepared for the high risks around my endometriosis being removed from my bowel. I was not at all prepared for what was to come with suffering a bladder injury and being put into surgical menopause. 

This year has been hard physically but also mentally. After years off ignoring my own health and dealing with the kids health and 20 years in healthcare the burn out caught up . When you body prevents you from doing everyday activities and the things you love it quickly takes a toll on you mental health and it’s not easy to get back out of that spiral. 

There have been many days this year that I have simply struggled to get out of bed . I would not have been able to make it through this year without Thom and the kids and my wonderful friends and my wonderful woman’s health GP .

I have always loved swimming from watching it , to summer days in the backyard pool with friends and many many moons again even being apart of the local swimming club (was not a fan of the 6am swims in winter at garden island navy base 🤣)

So recently to try and keep active I have started swimming again. So with that I have decided.

I will be taking part in the LAP it UP swim challenge to raise awareness and funds for Live4Life’s mental health education and youth suicide prevention model. 

Live4Life builds the capacity of young people to recognise, seek and offer help for mental health concerns and it also builds the capacity of the whole community to look after and support their young people. 

It engages young people, school staff, parents, carers and the broader community in evidence-based mental health education. 

Please support my LAP it UP swim challenge - your donation will help more 

If it’s been hard enough for me to deal and find help for my my mental health at 35 I’m sure it’s even harder for the you .