Gemma Bell lived healthily and happily with her family until her life was thrown into turmoil. While she was still school-age, Gemma's dad died from cancer.



Losing her dad at such an early age had a profound effect on Gemma, and she became desperate to find a way of reconnecting with his memory. Inspired by her dad's love of running, Gemma started to follow in his footsteps. But it wasn't long until the running took over her life, she became obsessed with going further and faster. The more she ran, the closer she felt to him.



Then, in December 2015, Gemma collapsed after a run, and was hospitalised for nearly a month. After losing her dad, Gemma already knew just how fragile life was, but being forced to spend her Christmas and New Year in hospital was a lightbulb moment for her. She saw how close her addiction had come to robbing her of everything that was truly important. Recovery wasn't an easy road but now she's stronger than ever and living a much more fulfilling life. This is Gemma's story.