Our Managing Director, Siobhan Stirling, will be running the Tunbridge Wells Half marathon for West Kent Mind next month, after having had her second hip replacement.

Siobhan has personally suffered from her own mental health issues and so for West Kent Mind is a cause she holds near to her heart she explains: “Having suffered from depression myself in the past, I know how debilitating mental health problems can be, both for the individual and those who care about them. With 15% of UK adults this year saying their mental health is bad or the worse it’s ever been, it would be fantastic to raise some funds to help West Kent Mind in its invaluable work supporting people in our community,” said Siobhan.

Dealing with postnatal depression

“I suffered from depression a couple of time as a young adult, and then had long-term postnatal depression, exacerbated by failing to deal properly with the emotional toll of a couple of miscarriages,” remembers Siobhan. “This continued almost up to early onset perimenopause, which came with its own problems.

“I decided to run the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon in 2014 after I realised I had become very unfit. It was a bold commitment for someone who had never run further than to catch a bus, but running proved a salvation for my mental health. The time outside and the ability to clear my head properly brought me space and strength I had never managed to achieve before, so it’s fitting for me to dedicate my new challenge of taking up running again after two hip replacements for West Kent Mind.”

West Kent Mind helps people in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling and Sevenoaks to live well, stay well and thrive. Its services include low-cost 121 counselling, creative courses, need-specific support groups and an early intervention service for children and young people.

Stevie Rice, the Chief Executive of West Kent Mind commented: “The ongoing challenges with cost-of-living, local authority cuts and long waiting lists for NHS appointments mean our services are in demand more than ever, so every donation is vital in helping us to continue to offer mental health support to people in West Kent.”

Catching the running bug

Siobhan caught the running bug after completing her first Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, which led her to finish the London Marathon and The Beachy Head Marathon in 2015, followed by the Rome Marathon in 2016.

Although an ankle injury side-lined her for a time, she managed to bounce back and celebrated her 50th birthday by achieving a personal best at the New York Marathon in November 2017. Unfortunately, a series of injuries and a subsequent hip replacement have kept her from running for the past seven years.

“My first hip replacement made my operated leg 1.4cm longer than my other leg, which meant I wasn’t able to run because it caused problems in my back,” explains Siobhan. “I must be the only person to have prayed their second hip would go quickly to be able to try and correct some of the leg-length difference with a second hip replacement.“

“It may sound strange, but I was really pleased when I recognised the telltale symptoms that indicated osteoarthritis due to hip dysplasia at the beginning of last year [2024]. I saw an excellent surgeon and we discussed how he might offset my leg-length discrepancy. I’m over the moon that he managed to halve it, which has made all the difference to my quality of life.”

Despite having completed four marathons, the return to running has not been an easy journey.

“When I started the couch to 5k programme, I honestly didn’t think I’d get through the first minute, and certainly never thought I’d be able to do anything more than a 5k, especially after being told by my first surgeon that I would never run again,” admits Siobhan. “But I surprised myself by running four and a half miles in Spain in October, so decided to commit to the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon to give me a firm goal to inspire me to get properly back into my running shoes and raise much-needed funds for West Kent Mind.”

“After seven years of no cardiovascular exercise at all, the training has proven to be really tough. I won’t come anywhere near the times that I managed a decade ago,” confesses Siobhan. “But after never expecting to run again, I will be delighted if I simply manage to complete the course.“

“I’ve had fantastic encouragement from my family – my three children, my son’s best friend and my partner – who’ve all got behind me and are currently training to take part in the race as well. Although I fear they’re all going to get very cold waiting on the other side of the finishing line for me to shuffle in after them!”

You can donate to Siobhan’s fundraising for West Kent Mind on JustGiving.

Based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Sharp Minds Communications offers brand development, digital marketing, offline marketing, and public relations to businesses across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Greater London.