INSPO Fitness Journal November 2017

CLIMBING
TO VICTORY
Tauranga’s Bonnie McCash
says she can now set her sights
on anything after hiking almost
6000 metres above sea level.
Bonnie was one of 27 people to climb
Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro recently,
to fundraise for the Mental Health
Foundation.
The group of Kiwis and 76 local porters
took seven days to hike Africa's highest peak,
which is 5895 metres above sea level.
“It was big, but it was how do you eat an
elephant? One bite at a time. It’s the same with
Kilimanjaro,” says Bonnie.
The distance was a challenge but so too was
the mountain’s extreme climate. There were
glaciers, snow and freezing temperatures, as
well as excruciating desert-like heat.
“Kilimanjaro isn’t a physical thing, it’s a
mental challenge; you can do whatever you set
your mind to.”
It’s not the first time Bonnie faced a mental
challenge head on. The 38-year-old lives with
schizoaffective disorder.
“I’ve come so far and everyone who knows
me is so proud. But it hasn’t happened all of a
sudden, you need to be patient with yourself
and your recovery.
“It’s important to have a good support
system, a purpose such as working and a good
team who supports you.” Bonnie’s adventure
was another step in her journey. “I wanted
to show that we can still do amazing things
whether we’ve had a mental illness or not.
“It’s about knowing yourself, what you’re
capable of, how you can stretch yourself,
staying positive and having a support system
is really important – a lot of people feel they
have to go through a mental illness alone but
they don’t have to.”
Preparation is important and Bonnie gave
Kilimanjaro her all by preparing mentally
and physically.
“I went to the gym Monday to Thursday,
climbed up and down Mount Maunganui
every Saturday and went for a long walk on
Sundays with the other ladies doing Kilimanjaro.
I lost 14kg in preparation for my training.”
Bonnie’s hard work paid off. “Climbing
above the clouds and seeing the sunrise come
up above the clouds was amazing.”
She made it to Gilman’s Point, which is just
shy of the summit. “I got to the top of the crater
edge but I didn’t reach the summit because
I fell behind and there wasn’t enough time to
catch the rest of the team.
“I want to try Kilimanjaro again to reach the
summit. I can be a bit hard on myself actually.
I do realise it was quite an achievement, a once
in a lifetime kind of thing.”
Bonnie says there was more to the adventure
than the physical achievement. She
formed strong friendships, discovered a passion
for the outdoors and realised her personal
potential.
“The sky is the limit,” she says. She says the
key is taking small bites, one at a time.
“Set realistic goals for where you are at the
moment and don’t be afraid to step out of your
comfort zone slightly. Have that first goal as
something that you know you can achieve, and
then make it slightly harder, then you realise
‘oh I am capable of doing these things’.”
For more information, visit
mentalhealth.org.nz
Resilience for Life Workshop: Learn how to
Navigate through Life’s Ups and Downs
Adult life is full of challenges; our financial independence, our
careers, our relationships as well our children/ families. Feeling
overwhelmed and/or anxious is a natural by-product of such
experiences or situations.
Chronic stress can occur in response to everyday stressors
that are ignored or poorly managed. The consequences of
chronic stress are serious, particularly as it contributes to
anxiety and depression.
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that
causes both a loss of contact with reality (psychosis) and mood
problems (depression or mania).
It can be thought of as a mix of mental health conditions.
There can be a wide range of symptoms that occur and, for
each person, the experience will be unique. Often, people with
schizoaffective disorder will see their doctor for problems with
mood, daily functioning, or abnormal thoughts.
Schizoaffective disorder is difficult to accurately diagnose as
it contains so many elements of other mental health conditions.
Regular and thorough checks with your doctor over time are
important to help build a picture of any difficulties you may be
experiencing.
If you think you have schizoaffective disorder, or you are
worried about a loved one, it’s important to talk to your doctor
or counsellor, or someone else you can trust, as a first step to
getting the important help you or they need. It’s important to get
diagnosis and treatment as early as possible.
Skills for building resilience
included in the course are;
þ Understanding feelings in self and others and empathy training
þ Mindfulness & Attention Training
þ Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts
þ Identifying Role Models & Support Networks
þ Problem Solving Strategy
þ Step plans to face challenges
þ Conflict Resolution & Assertiveness Training
þ … and many more…
For more information
or to enrol, contact:
www.jennybell.co.nz
Email: jenny@jennybell.co.nz
Phone: 027 245 2749
INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL NOVEMBER 2017
45