Darryn Medjeri

This year, I’m taking part in Sweat With Pride—and for me, it’s about more than just raising money or getting fit. It’s about healing, visibility, and creating the kind of world I needed growing up. I grew up in Australia, where on the outside everything seemed sunny, laid-back, and free. But inside, I carried a heavy kind of confusion. From a young age, I sensed I was different, but I didn’t have the words for it. I didn’t know how to explain the feelings that didn’t match the world around me. I didn’t feel safe asking questions. I didn’t know who I could talk to. So I kept it all in. That confusion turned into shame. And that shame started to fester. As a teenager, I numbed it the only way I knew how—through binge drinking. It gave me a temporary escape from the inner turmoil, but it also led me down some dark paths, including suicide attempts that I now realize were cries for help I didn’t know how to make out loud. Even in adulthood, the pain didn’t vanish—it just changed forms. Recreational drug use became another form of escapism. Another way to disconnect from the parts of myself I hadn’t yet learned to love. It’s taken me a long time to understand that what I was really longing for all those years was safety—safety to explore, to express, to exist without fear or judgment. And now, I believe it’s my responsibility to help create that safety for others. That’s why I’m sweating with pride. I’m doing it for every confused kid who feels like they’re the only one. For every teenager who thinks they’re broken because they don’t fit the mold. For every adult still trying to outrun their past. And most of all, I’m doing it to remind myself—and others—that healing is possible, that we do belong, and that we deserve spaces where we can show up exactly as we are. Sweat With Pride isn’t just about fitness. It’s about community, celebration, and change. It’s about sweating not to punish ourselves, but to honour our journeys and to build a future where everyone, no matter who they are, feels safe, seen, and supported. If my story resonates with you, I’d love your support. Whether it’s a donation, a share, or simply showing up for someone in your life—every act of solidarity counts. With pride and purpose, Daz Share