800 kilometres for mental health

Bremerhaven student starts charity run to Munich

Social pressure, global crises, loneliness and stress – studies repeatedly show that young people's mental health is at serious risk. At the same time, mental illness is still a taboo subject today. Bremerhaven student Christian Saathoff wants to change this and is embarking on a special adventure to do so. Under the motto ‘Running for mental health’, he will cover a total of around 800 kilometres on foot from 27 August to 27 September. On his way from Bremerhaven to Munich, he wants to collect donations for the Mental Health Initiative. Anyone interested can follow his run on TikTok and Instagram.

Mental health is an issue that is close to Christian Saathoff's heart, and for good reason. During his school days, he himself suffered from mental illness. So much so that he eventually found it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. "My own story has shown me how difficult it can be for young people to talk about their mental health issues. Social structures and expectations often make it difficult to deal with these issues openly. Through my journey, I want to draw attention to this and show that it should not be a taboo subject. The more we talk about it, the more normal it becomes to seek and receive help. If my story helps even one young person to tackle their mental health challenges, every step will have been worth it," he says. 

Walking 800 kilometres to raise awareness of mental health is not a rash and spontaneous idea. His followers on social media have been accompanying him in his preparations for some time now. ‘With this run, I not only want to test my physical limits, but above all set an example and be a role model. It's about showing that there are alternatives to the digital world and that real adventures don't await us on social media,’ says Saathoff. He only really became aware of this himself last year when a Vespa tour to Barcelona with a friend didn't go as planned. The scooter broke down. ‘Suddenly we were faced with a real challenge that no algorithm could help us with. We had to get creative, talk to people, seek help and accept it. The planned four days in Barcelona suddenly turned into two weeks, during which I learned a lot about myself.’ It is precisely this experience that he wants to share with others on his run from Bremerhaven to Munich. ‘I will meet people along the way and collect humorous, inspiring and sometimes challenging stories. I want to share these with my community – authentically, unfiltered and with the message: it's okay not to be okay.’

In the long term, Christian Saathoff dreams of a society in which mental health is discussed as naturally as physical health. His run is not intended to be a one-off event, but rather the beginning of a larger commitment. He not only wants to build a community that supports and inspires each other, but also to raise as much money as possible for the Mental Health Initiative, an organisation that cares for the mental health of young people. Those interested can follow him on Instagram (@christian_saathoff12) or TikTok (@chrischan1112).