UPDATE: The registration deadline has been extended to April 22nd.
One local mother is trying to turn a tragedy into something good. Belinda Sieker is organizing a colour run this May in memory of her son and former Grande Prairie paramedic Dustin Sieker.
“We plan on doing this race down at the Nordic ski trail. It’s going to be a colour race; I know Dustin would have liked to have fun with that; it’s going to be five kilometres; we’re going to be having a barbeque down there and just bringing awareness to mental health in first responders.”
Dustin died by suicide last May at the age of 36 after battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related to his work. Belinda says the point of the run is to raise awareness for mental health issues and PTSD in first responders like her son.
“I would like there to be just a lot more awareness in first responders and what they’re going through and understand the trauma that they see and deal with every single day… Because I didn’t see it coming with Dustin… I’m hoping that people will be more aware that they need to talk, they need to communicate, they need to get it out too because they are human.”
All money raised from the event will go to the Dustin Sieker Legacy Fund. Started with the help of The Community Foundation, the fund offers awards and scholarships for student paramedics and will also go to mental health programs for first responders in Grande Prairie.
The Talk to Me colour run will take place at the Wapiti Nordic Ski Club on May 4th. To register, visit the event’s page on Eventbrite. Registration closes around April 15th.