Published on: 2nd November 2017
A former service user has completed his first triathlon raising over £2,000 for Lincolnshire’s mental health and learning disability trust.
Sebastien Rosse, a former service user of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Boston crisis team, completed the Brighton and Hove triathlon to raise money for local services and give back to the people who cared for him. The triathlon involved a challenging 750m sea swim, a 20km cycle and a 5km run along the beach lined promenade.
Sebastien suffered with depression for 20 years of his adult life and received dedicated help from the crisis team during difficult periods in his illness. He explained that their patience and understanding helped him to discover his own strength to recover. The Boston crisis resolution and home treatment team provide care and support to service users who may be experiencing a serious mental health crisis. They ensure people remain safe and well at home and avoid a hospital admission.
Sebastien said:
The team were dedicated with their support. They phoned every morning, visited every night and helped deal with my confusion and suicidal thoughts. The care I received from LPFT staff really helped me to discover my own strengths.
A focus and devotion to cycling also helped aid his recovery, he explained that,
A friend encouraged me to sign up for the triathlon; it felt like a way to maintain my new found wellbeing and it was also a way to offer sponsorship money to the organisation that pulled me past my demons.
Sebastien presented a cheque to the Trust’s Board of Directors at their meeting on 28 September 2017. The money raised will be spent directly with the crisis team to help enhance the service they offer to others in a crisis.
