A former Army medic is running next year’s London Marathon for an armed forces charity that he credits with saving his life.
Kevin Russell is a Mental Health Act Manager at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).
It will be his first major run since completing the Edinburgh Marathon in 2019. He is raising money for Combat Stress, which delivers specialist treatment and support to former service personnel across the UK with military-related trauma
“I am literally starting from scratch again as I haven’t been running for the last few years,” he said.
“I applied every year for the London Marathon and never got in, then Combat Stress offered me a place.”
Kevin, who lives in Basildon, sought help from the charity in 2022 after suppressing emotions and flashbacks he experienced from his time in military service for 17 years.
He underwent a two-year treatment programme with Combat Stress, which helped him to learn more about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and coping skills to help manage his triggers. It prompted him to seek an official diagnosis of PTSD from EPUT’s mental health services.
The dad-of-two said Combat Stress saved his life and he is doing as much as he can to raise awareness of the impact of PTSD on military personnel and veterans. He won the charity’s Veteran Storyteller of the Year award in February for sharing his story and continues to share his experiences to tackle stigma and encourage people to seek help.
Kevin was 21 when he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a combat medic and he served tours in Oman, Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. He left the Army in 2006 after being deeply affected by the aftermath of two incidents in Kabul involving multiple casualties, including children.
He joined the NHS and has worked at EPUT and its predecessor Trusts ever since.
In his current role, Kevin helps clinicians ensure the correct processes are followed when people are detained for treatment under the Mental Health Act and provides advice to the patients’ families.
He said: “Being a patient with Combat Stress, I understand what it’s like being on the other side of the fence, the one needing help, having to have things explained to them and having treatment.
“I also understand from the other side of being the person to help people and tell them what’s going on.”
Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day are a poignant time for Kevin, who attends a Remembrance event every year.
He was one of 10,000 participants in the Cenotaph Parade, which followed the National Act of Remembrance led by HM The King on Remembrance Sunday (8 November).
Kevin, who took part with other veterans representing Combat Stress, said: “It’s just incredible being there, just being with other veterans and with people who ‘get it’ and you don’t need to say anything.
“I think it’s important to take time on Remembrance day, even if you don’t know anyone connected to the military, to not only remember those who have paid the ultimate price but also those for whom things are still carrying on for them, the war is still going on in their head. And those who have got physical injuries that affects their life.
“Just saying thank you to a veteran or acknowledging they’re there, it’s just nice to take that time.”
Kevin hopes to raise at least £2,500 for Combat Stress at next year’s London Marathon. Anyone who would like to sponsor him can visit his fundraising page.
Robert Marsh, Director of Fundraising at Combat Stress, said: “We are so grateful to Kevin, whose selflessness and determination continue to be invaluable to the veteran community.
“His efforts continue to inspire veterans to come forward for help, while also shining a spotlight on, and raising vital funds for, our life-changing specialist treatment.
“We are delighted that he is running the marathon for Combat Stress this year, and we will be cheering him on every step of the way.”
About EPUT
- EPUT has a vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care: Who we are – Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- EPUT provides services to more than 100,000 patients at any one time and our staff are focused on providing high quality care in often complex situations.
- The organisation has invested in inpatient facilities and community services to make them safer and more therapeutic. We have extensively invested in technology to keep patients safer, enhanced training, and are continuously working with our staff, patients, their families and carers to use learning and best practice to enhance our quality of care.
- While there is more to do, the Trust has made significant progress through innovation:
- Our 111 mental health crisis phone line ensures people in need can access support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- People with lived experience have been employed in designated roles across the Trust, ensuring patient voice is heart of the organisation and all that we do.
- A number of new initiatives have been launched, helping people access the support they need when they need it most. These include a mental health urgent care department, By Your Side maternal mental health service, Rough Sleeper team, mental health crisis ambulance cars, virtual wards and neuromodulation service.
- EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 and provides community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex, Luton and Bedfordshire and Suffolk. We employ more than 7,200 staff working across more than 200 sites.
- To read more about our priorities and commitments to deliver the highest quality and safest care possible, visit https://eput.nhs.uk/about-us/2023-2028-strategic-plan/
About Combat Stress
For more than 100 years, Combat Stress has been the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health. We focus on delivering our specialist treatment and support to veterans with complex mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, resulting from their experiences during military service. At a time that can be isolating and daunting, we’re here to help veterans recover.
Demand for our services remains constant. Veterans wait on average 14 years after leaving the military before seeking our help, by which time their condition is often highly complex. Our work is life-changing and often lifesaving. No one else does what we do. We provide the only intensive mental health treatment service to UK veterans. Our services are provided across the UK, in-person and online.
To find out more, visit combatstress.org.uk. For confidential advice or support call our 24-hour Helpline 0800 138 1619.