The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) was honoured to host the launch of the Partner's Life High Five-0 Challenge for Mental Health on Friday.
A year from today, adventurer extraordinaire Mal Law will embark on his most audacious challenge yet. In just 50 days, he plans to climb 50 mountain peaks, and run 50 off-road marathons - that's the equivalent of running past the ionosphere, out of the earth's atmosphere, and into space.
 The heights to which Mal will be climbing in just 50 days(Graphic: Mental Health Foundation of NZ; click to enlarge) |
It's a journey that will take him through some of the country's toughest – and most beautiful – landscapes, and he's doing it all to raise money for the MHF.
"Mal's going to be undertaking a true odyssey for us," says MHF chief executive Judi Clements," because he has a real empathy with our cause.
"The Mental Health Foundation has an ambitious vision – of a society where all people flourish," says Ms Clements, "and Mal's challenge matches this ambition. He's setting out to do something extraordinary, and he'll have a measurable impact on the lives of thousands of ordinary Kiwis."
By the time he's completed the High Five-0, Mal hopes to have raised a staggering $250,000 for the MHF.
The Mental Health Foundation is very happy that Partners Life has come on board as the principal sponsor of the High Five-0. In common with the MHF, Partners Life shares a passion for the wellbeing of New Zealanders, and their support of the High Five-0 Challenge has been invaluable.
As it's now exactly one year until Mal sets off on the High Five-0, today he and many of his supporters are running up and down Mt Eden 50 times. Members of the Air Force are running alongside him, and many others have come along to do a lap or two.
"Mal truly embodies the value of practising the Five Ways to Wellbeing," says Ms Clements, "his passion for mental health and his drive to help us succeed are so deeply appreciated by us all."
The High Five-0 is an unprecedented feat of endurance, and the MHF hopes all New Zealanders will throw their support behind Mal and his team as they work toward their goal.
For more information on the Partners Life High Five-0 Challenge for Mental Health, how to support the cause, and how to join in and run a leg or two with Mal, see the website: www.high50.org.nz.
To donate to support Mal's efforts, go to http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/MalcolmLaw/.
The High Five-0 Challenge For Mental Health – The Journey
Day 1 - Saturday 31st January 2015
One Tree Hill
Day 2 - Sunday 1st February 2015
Mt. Donald Mclean
Day 3 - Monday 2nd February 2015
Kohukohunui (Hunuas)
Day 4 - Tuesday 3rd February 2015
The Pinnacles
Day 5 - Wednesday 4th February 2015
Te Aroha
Day 6 - Thursday 5th February 2015
Putauaki (Mt. Edgecumbe)
Day 7 - Friday 6th February 2015
Thunderbolt (Kaimanawas)
Day 8 - Saturday 7th February 2015
Kaweka
Day 9 - Sunday 8th February 2015
Kahuranaki (Hawkes Bay)
Day 10 - Monday 9th February 2015
Otumore (Ruahines)
Day 11 - Tuesday 10th February 2015
Mt. Holdsworth (Tararuas)
Day 12 - Wednesday 11th February 2015
Dun Mountain (Nelson)
Day 13 - Thursday 12th February 2015
Mt. Arthur (Kahurangi NP)
Day 14 - Friday 13th February 2015
Mt. Gibbs (Kahurangi NP)
Day 15 - Saturday 14th February 2015
Mt. Owen (Kahurangi NP)
Day 16 - Sunday 15th February 2015
Croesus Knob (W. Coast)
Day 17 - Monday 16th February 2015
Alex Knob (W. Coast)
Day 18 - Tuesday 17th February 2015
Mt. Burke (Wanaka)
Day 19 - Wednesday 18th February 2015
Knuckle Peak (Wanaka)
Day 20 - Thursday 19th February 2015
Brow Peak (Arrowtown)
Day 21 - Friday 20th February 2015
Ben Lomond (Queenstown)
Day 22 - Saturday 21st February 2015
Pt. 1005 (Queenstown)
Day 23 - Sunday 22nd February 2015
Mt. Pisa (Cromwell)
Day 24 - Monday 23rd February 2015
Dragonfly Peak (Aspiring NP)
Day 25 - Tuesday 24th February 2015
Mt. Tyndall (Aspiring NP)
Day 26 - Wednesday 25th February 2015
Mt. Cunningham (Aspiring NP)
Day 27 - Thursday 26th February 2015
Conical Hill (Routeburn)
Day 28 - Friday 27th February 2015
Mt. Luxmore (The Kepler)
Day 29 - Saturday 28th February 2015
Longwood (Southland)
Day 30 - Sunday 1st March 2015
Flagstaff (Dunedin)
Day 31 - Monday 2nd March 2015
Obelisk (C. Otago)
Day 32 - Tuesday 3rd March 2015
Mt. Dunstan (C. Otago)
Day 33 - Wednesday 4th March 2015
Beuzenberg Peak
Day 34 - Thursday 5th March 2015
Hamilton Peak (Arthurs Pass)
Day 35 - Friday 6th March 2015
Woolshed Hill (Arthurs Pass)
Day 36 - Saturday 7th March 2015
Mt. Oxford (Canterbury)
Day 37 - Sunday 8th March 2015
Devils Rampart (Lewis Pass)
Day 38 - Monday 9th March 2015
Mt. Isobel (Canterbury)
Day 39 - Tuesday 10th March 2015
Mt. Fyffe (Kaikoura)
Day 40 - Wednesday 11th March 2015
Angelus Peak (Nelson Lakes)
Day 41 - Thursday 12th March 2015
Mt. Richmond
Day 42 - Friday 13th March 2015
Hawkins Hill (Wellington)
Day 43 - Saturday 14th March 2015
Mt. Hector (Tararuas)
Day 44 - Sunday 15th March 2015
Mt. Ruapehu
Day 45 - Monday 16th March 2015
Mt. Ngauruhoe
Day 46 - Tuesday 17th March 2015
Taranaki
Day 47 - Wednesday 18th March 2015
Pouakai (Taranaki NP)
Day 48 - Thursday 19th March 2015
Maungatautari
Day 49 - Friday 20th March 2015
Pirongia
Day 50 - Saturday 21st March 2015
Rangitoto
