There’s something truly special about running a marathon. The physical endurance, the mental fortitude, and the sense of accomplishment when crossing the finish line make it one of the most inspiring challenges a person can take on. But what makes this past marathon in Budapest even more meaningful is the reason behind it: Daymon Cantave, Flawless Foundation’s board member, recently ran to raise awareness and support for mental health.
This wasn’t just any marathon; it was a race for a cause that too often goes unspoken. While many people run to support cancer research, heart health, or other physical ailments, mental health—though just as critical—doesn’t always receive the same attention in these spaces. By lacing up his shoes, Daymon made a powerful statement: mental health deserves to be on our collective radar. It’s a reminder that caring for every aspect of our bodies is equally important.
For many of us, running a marathon for mental health wasn’t always on the radar either. Even for our founder, Janine, this cause became deeply personal through a touching story from her past. When Janine was in her 20s, struggling with her own mental health challenges, her father decided to run a marathon to show his support. At 50 years old and having never run a marathon in his life, he stepped into his running shoes and ran for his daughter. It was a selfless and loving gesture, demonstrating how far we can go when we’re motivated by love and care for the well-being of others.
That same spirit of love and commitment is what drives Daymon today. Through the conclusion of the marathon, we’re reminded that mental health affects us all, and we can all contribute to supporting it. Whether through running, donating, or simply advocating for greater awareness, we each have the power to make a difference.
The Flawless family also couldn’t have been more excited and proud of Daymon and, in doing so, we came together to cheer on Daymon as he took on his marathon. We each recorded encouraging videos leading up to race day, and some of us even stayed up to join the live stream at 2 a.m. EST to show our support in real time. After Daymon crossed the finish line, he expressed heartfelt gratitude, saying:
He stresses that this marathon wasn’t just about completing 26.2 miles; it became a powerful moment for raising awareness about mental health—an issue that is deeply important to us all. The energy and love leading up to and during the event were incredible, and we were proud to support Daymon every step of the way.
As the Budapest Marathon comes to an end, let’s take this opportunity to cheer Daymon on in his future endeavors and, more importantly, keep mental health at the forefront of our minds. This aspect of our health is something we should all be striving to nurture—today, tomorrow, and every day!
Thank you to everyone who supported our Flawless Wellness Workshops in high schools through Day’s mental health marathon! Special thanks to our generous sponsors, Ocean Rain Foundation and 2Lyons Aerospace, for making this journey possible. Your contributions are helping to build brighter, healthier futures. We couldn’t have done it without each of you!
