Athlete Fighting Back

Athlete Fighting Back

What remarkable journeys have people faced head‑on against addiction? This conversation follows athlete and recovery advocate Janelle Wilkinson as she talks through a life marked by childhood trauma, abuse, and 15 stints in rehab before finally choosing herself and a new path. Hosted by addiction counsellor and coach Blu Robinson, the episode mixes straight-talking humour with some very raw honesty. Janelle shares how she once believed she had nothing to offer, until a simple idea – “I could cook.

I could make some pancakes. And I could… spend time” – became her first act of genuine service in sobriety. That small start grew into fundraising for the Rise programme and joining the board of Addicts Fighting Back. You’ll hear about the moment her mindset flipped: when she stopped planning to return to an abusive marriage and instead chose her own safety and future. She calls that her strongest moment, saying that choosing herself over the relationship changed everything.

From there, running became her moving therapy, using left-right focus to process heavy emotions and realise, “I’m not lonely today and I’m by myself.” Janelle also talks about rebuilding her role as a mum after years of separation from her children, including the emotional shock of having her eldest daughter come to live with her.

There’s a powerful parenting story where she swaps anger for reflection, taking a day (and a run) before calmly setting a writing assignment instead of a harsh punishment. Throughout, the episode leans into two big themes: service as a way to strengthen recovery, and the idea that being in your children’s lives is “a privilege, not a right” – for both sides.

If you’re wondering whether change is still possible after multiple failed attempts, you might find yourself asking: what would it look like to finally choose you?