GSA Insurance Brokers EGM of operations Rocco Pirrello will run the Phuket Marathon this month to help a friend raise funds for Gotcha4Life.

The charity creates preventative mental health campaigns and encourages “help-seeking behaviours” as it strives for a “suicide-free future where no one worries alone”. 

Mr Pirrello will run the June 15 marathon alongside Struan Todd, a Lloyd’s Lab mentor and Blackpanda Underwriting co-founder and MD based in Singapore. 

Mr Todd’s father died by suicide in 2015, and Mr Todd is completing 13 challenges in a year to support Gotcha4Life. His Kaki Lang Project has raised $38,647 so far and is aiming for $50,000. The Phuket Marathon is challenge number seven. 

“When I got a call from my best mate’s wife to tell me we needed to band together and help Struan through his next challenge, I made an impulse decision ... to register for the marathon and run alongside him,” Mr Pirrello said.

“It is a 4am start, at 30-38 degrees, 85% humidity and going into monsoon season in Phuket. I haven’t run a metre more than 21.1km in my life and last time I did that distance, I told myself never again.”

While “dreading the thought” of the tough conditions, Mr Pirrello says there is “joy in being there for a mate who is doing great things, for a great cause.

“I’m reaching out and asking for some support for a cause that I’m putting myself out there for. If you’re able to, any donation big or small would be greatly appreciated – I’ll also take well wishes and words of encouragement. I think we will need them!”  

Donate here.