My name is Emma-Jane Stoker-Phelan, and I am proudly representing as South Dublin County Ambassador for this year’s Vhi Virtual Women’s Mini Marathon. I am a 27-year-old musician, spending most of my time teaching and performing. As well as music, I am extremely passionate about my voluntary work with Irish Therapy Dogs, and running, of course!

My journey with both the Mini Marathon and Irish Therapy Dogs started in 2016 at a very difficult time in my life. I have battled Anorexia Nervosa over the last ten years. I benefited first-hand from the volunteers of Irish Therapy Dogs during a five-month-long hospital admission; a gorgeous French Bulldog called Max came to visit the ward every Thursday evening to spend some time with the patients. The difference which that hour made every week was more than I have words to describe, giving comfort and love on some very dark days.

As soon as I was discharged, I knew I had to be involved. I had a Golden Retriever, Toby, who was a year old at the time so I started training him. He was accepted immediately after his interview and assessment at the age of two. This year’s theme is Power of Me which I feel is very fitting to me personally. I believe we can all make a difference, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. I felt like I could never make a difference in the world after being unwell; I was still struggling so much, but I wanted to give back. However, once we started visit our local nursing home each week, the effect on the residents was unbelievable. I saw completely unresponsive patients, that would neither communicate nor even move, try to get out of their wheelchairs to interact with Toby. He seems to know just what to do – gently licking someone in distress or simply sitting at the feet of someone having a tough day. He even knows when a resident is missing.

One day on our usual rounds, one of his favourite patients was not in her usual place in the sitting room. I asked him to come so we could visit the next floor and for the first time ever he didn’t respond. He stopped at Helen’s chair and would not move. Initially I was a little embarrassed, I thought he was being stubborn and not listening, but the nurse in charge thought differently. She disappeared for a moment, only to return with Helen. It was like two old friends reuniting after a long time apart. The delight in both her and Toby was indescribable – we were all in tears. It turned out she had been unwell and a little down, but Toby’s insistence on seeing her lit up her face. Ever since then, he will go to see her first, and always says goodbye twice. It was then that I realised that I was making a difference in that one hour a week.

The more I worked with Irish Therapy Dogs over the years, the more passionate I became about ITD as a charity. They are a small charity who do truly brilliant work in supporting volunteers like myself, and are entirely reliant on the generosity of the public for their funding – there’s no state help whatsoever. The pandemic has shattered their ability to provide services, and they’re running on empty, but nevertheless they are still focused on ensuring that patients receive the same wonderful moments I have got to experience on both sides of the leash.

I had always enjoyed running but I started taking it more seriously around that time as a way to stay on track with my recovery; to keep me motivated in fuelling my body, and also as a way to de-stress and keep my head clear. Being outside in the fresh air even for fifteen minutes makes such a big difference for me. The Mini Marathon was my first competitive race and was a great goal to keep as a focus. After completing my first race I caught the bug and have been running ever since. I love the Mini Marathon because it is such special event with the most inclusive and supportive atmosphere. It is my favourite event to compete in each year because its about so much more than running. It is about empowering women, building each other up, spreading awareness for the causes that are near to our hearts. Even if you are competing alone, there is a huge sense of community and belonging. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow; whether you run, walk or crawl. We build each other up and we get to that finish line.

My advice if you are considering taking part is to start small and set little goals along the way. You don’t need to start by running 10 kilometres the first day of training, find your baseline and go from there. Some days will be amazing, and others you may struggle to even put on your runners but that is okay. Rome was not built in a day. Make sure you are adequately fuelled and hydrated, and do not forget that is also very important to rest. Remember that even professional athletes have rest days. Then, find a cause you are passionate about. It gives you a real sense of purpose, and community. Spread the word and start a conversation. That’s the wonderful thing about this event; it spreads crucial awareness about some truly amazing charities. It allows us to discover our Power of Me. We all make a difference. If you would like to make a difference to the lives of many people who get so much joy from such a wonderful, simple charity, please consider visiting irishtherapydogs.ie and clicking the Donate button. As it is such a small charity, any contributions make a huge difference, and will be greatly appreciated