By Spencer Sterritt

PTSD awareness campaign runs into Nanaimo

Feb 24, 2017 | 3:00 PM

NANAIMO — A year ago, after her second round of chemotherapy treatments for stage two breast cancer, full-time reservist Jacqueline Zweng didn’t think she’d be able to run more than few kilometres. Now, Friday afternoon, she’s running into Nanaimo with six other compatriots for the 700 km. Wounded Warriors Run B.C.

The running and cycling enthusiast told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s been a powerful and emotional journey preparing for the run from Port Hardy to Victoria while also undergoing chemotherapy. When her treatment started, doctors told her she’d have to take a year off work and would be “quite weak.”

“I was told a lot of things I wouldn’t be able to do and that was the part that really crushed me. I thought my life was over…If I didn’t have that, I didn’t know how I’d deal with the stress of all this,” she said.

Venting through exercise and assistance from the Wounded Warriors organization helped Zweng through tough times beyond the cancer diagnosis. She was in a car accident just five days after a surgery in November, 2015, which she described as devastating and traumatic.

To this day she said she still has flashbacks to the emergency room.

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She credits her knowledge of Wounded Warriors, and having seen friends struggle with PTSD, with helping her come to grips with her trauma.

“Instead of letting it build I asked for help immediately and I think that saved me,” she said.

Wounded Warriors Run B.C. co-founder and director Allan Kobayashi said slowly but surely awareness about post traumatic stress disorder is entering the public mind.

“The first year we did this, you’d make mention the acronym of PTSD (and) you’d get the odd look. Now, when you say PTSD you have a lot more people willing to not only admit to knowing people but even offer their own support, encouragement and kind words.”

Nonetheless, Kobayashi said the stigma surrounding PTSD and opening up about feelings still remains.

Besides the physical toll of running 700 km., he said there’s an emotional stress on the journey as well.

“Over seven days we’re reaching out and being vulnerable about ourselves to a lot of different people sharing a lot of powerful stories,” he said. “It’s not just physical, it’s mental as well. We’ve shared some powerful stories and been overwhelmed with kindness, support and a sense of community.”

Live tracking of the run can be found online where donations can also be made.

Spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit