Going Beyond in 2024
Going ‘Beyond’ in 2024
by Sammy Novick
In memory of my beloved late Aunty Jenny & Glenn Casselson.
I plan to participate in 3 triathlons this year including a Half-Iron Man during Q4. In May, I will be participating in the “Sprint Triathlon” to begin my Triathlon journey and hope to increase distances in each event. Additionally, the cycling event is 132km, known as the Amashova National Classic, South Africa’s oldest cycling event to date, on route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
All of these events are are raising funds for a mental health charity called Beyond. (Please read the third and second last paragraph to find out more about this amazing charity).
Why have I decided to this?
Since 12 years old, I suffered a series of traumatising life events that have impacted my stability with mental health. I still struggle today at times, but one key aspect I have integrated into my “coping routine” is exercise. This makes a massive difference to my wellbeing. Whether I am running, cycling, playing tennis, football, paddle, or swimming, exercise has kept me sane at the most difficult of periods. It has brought me positivity in my darkest periods.
One experience, growing up, being the hardest of my life and forever will be, was losing my Aunty Jenny at 16 years old – who I always think and dream about ever since the tragedy happened.
Aunty Jenny was only 40 years old, and she should still be around today. The saying, “focus on things you can control,” could not be harder when it comes to losing my Aunty. She was the most amazing, affectionate, friendly Aunty who could light up any room and bring such joyful life to a party.
I have such fond memories growing up with Aunty Jenny which unfortunately, overtime, have become distant. Whether that be singing to Kiss radio with Jenny in her cool white Mercedes car with her ShitSu dog when she used to pick me up from primary school (on a rare occasion, as she was based in Leeds). Or, at 8 years old (approximately), sitting with Jenny in Mallorca in the living room, reassuring her that she is beautiful and looking at her gleaming smile whilst the early morning sunrise was beaming on her face. Or, going to the cinema with the cousins and Aunty Jenny, or the Friday Night Dinners and meals we used to share. These memories I can never forget, despite it becoming increasingly distant over time.
The dealing with Jenny’s loss has been the most difficult thing to do. In fact, I can never “deal” but more “try and cope.” But at 23 years old, with the anniversary nearly reaching 9 years of her death, I have found strategies to help minimise the pain and live my life.
From 13 to 16 years old, I struggled immensely with my mental health and I never spoke to my Aunty Jenny about it before the tragedy. It is the most difficult “life lesson” I have had to process and endure – by not speaking out before it was too late. The pain, the frustration, stress, anger and anxiety that has derived from not reaching out to my Aunty Jenny before her passing, can not be understated. And unfortunately, it can never be fully “repaired.”
However, I have found ways to cope better. Whether that is attending occasional therapy sessions, visiting Synagogue more regularly to try and connect to my spiritual self, praying, doing regular exercise, and listening to certain types of music to help me express my emotions. These types of strategies have helped me significantly.
I will never fully be able to “get over” losing my best friend and angel in the sky. But what I can do, is try and “cope better” and one key way, is doing things in memory of my Aunty Jenny. Just like I made a podcast in memory of Jenny, I want to also fundraise continuously throughout the rest of my life in tribute to Jenny.
This way, despite my childhood memories with Jenny being more distant over time, I can still help mitigate these memories being more distant (which I can not control), and can still live my life (without having to constantly dwell or relay such memories over and over that it impacts my day to day functions so significantly), by doing things in memory of Aunty Jenny, that I know she would have absolutely loved. As a spiritual person, I feel her around me at certain times (e.g. when I am cycling), and therefore love to do things that I know would have made me see her amazing smile once again, in another world.
Jenny loved charitable causes and giving back. She volunteered for many years at a charity called Physcap for example – a charity to help people with disabilities.
So, I am privileged to be able to raise funds for a vital cause – Beyond – a charity specialised in providing essential funding in the education systems to give greater mental health resources to the Youth.
In this day and age, where online bullying, trolling, social media is prevalent, and there is a severe ‘Youth related mental health crisis’ with suicides being so prevalent – it is an honour to be able to try raise funds to help society tackle the mental health stigma and taboo, but also, help give younger generations the vital resources to lay the key foundations for a sustainable better future in regard to their mental health.
Dear Aunty Jenny, I, alike to my entire family, miss you immensely and we (as well as your endless friends) all love you so, so much. I wish I could see you smile and hear your laugh, just one more time. Whilst I can no longer, I will always try and make you proud of me up in the sky.
