Joselyn Tran

This Sunday 24th May 2026, I am stepping up to the starting line for my very first timed 10km run 👟💛✨ at Sydney's Memory Walk & Jog held in the heart of Cathy Freeman Park. This date holds immense spiritual significance—it marks exactly 8 years since my beloved Grandmother passed away at 83 years old. She's been one of my many active ancestral guides since, leaving a constant reminder through signs and meaningful numbers that she is right beside me every step.

Time hasn't changed how much she is deeply missed. I am running with love to honour her memory, leaving a mark on the tracks for the life she led and the 446,500 Australians currently living with dementia.

My campaign photo is titled "From Generation to Generation – Wrapped in Grandma's Love Since Birth," capturing her cradling me alongside my grandpa. She wrapped us in so much love, and those cherished moments live on forever. This photograph was captured when I was just 6 months old, celebrating my Dad's birthday.

Turning Heartbreak into Healing

She passed away during my final year of University; a whole year before she even got to see me graduate 🎓 —a time when my mental health was at its absolute worst and I completely lost myself. For most of her life, she was vibrant, healthy, and a walking radiant light, but after a severe fall, her health rapidly declined into severe cognitive confusion. I still vividly remember the last time we had our family dinner outing and she didn't recognise me. That heartbreaking experience was a heavy trauma to carry; it still gets me very emotional today.

Yet, out of that very heartbreak, her ultimate truth emerged. She is the one who etched into my soul how vital it is to fiercely love people and make them feel seen while they are still earthbound. She taught me to cherish the pure, good souls in this life, showing me that there is zero shame in wearing your big heart on your sleeve. 

Her greatest transmission to me was a simple, sacred truth: carrying a big heart in a heavy world is your highest, most beautiful divine gift. The world doesn't need more armor—it desperately needs beacons of light and hope. This is why I continue to be that beautiful light 🌞✨ every day to guide and help others heal, and why I am running for her this Sunday.

Honouring My Ancestral Roots

My Grandma lived a long, remarkable, and profoundly inspiring life. Born in Guangxi, China, her journey took her to Vietnam, where she spent her early days teaching French to children in need, all while raising 8 children of her own.

My Grandma and Dad always told me I was my Grandpa's favourite grandchild. It is a beautiful reflection of our lineage, as my Dad was her favourite son, too. I was the 12th grandchild out of 17, and the very last one my Grandpa got the privilege to meet, love, and nurture before he passed away in his sleep just two weeks before I turned two. 

Grandma used to always tell me I reminded her of Grandpa and that I was just like him too. Dad constantly tells me that I am just like him as well, which explains that "quiet nature" I had as a kid growing up. I feel like I’ve been carrying his spirit my whole life, too.

Though I have always been the misfit and the black sheep in my family, knowing this connection helps me recognise myself as the cycle breaker of generational trauma in my lineage. The values my grandparents anchored into me through their lived legacy are alive, deeply instilled, and breathing in everything I do.

I strongly feel a deep calling and a sign from my ancestors and grandparents' spirits 🦋🪽✨ to run this event not just for my own healing, but for our ancestral healing too. To this day, their spirits guide me daily. I am taking on this timed 10km run for a deep somatic release, to honour and heal our lineage, and to connect with my ancestral roots that stretch across continents.

I am running to celebrate her 83 years and turn my grief into a powerful force for healing—ensuring their legacy lives on and inspires others to hold onto hope even in the darkest nights. Being different isn't a flaw—it is exactly what makes all the difference.

The Divine Synchronicity of 8

This isn't my first time moving for mental health. As a Mental Health Warrior and Advocate, I previously crushed the Black Dog Institute's One Foot Forward 👟💚 Mental Health Challenge, pushing through to smashing 209km and raising a total of $241.88. It's a perfect synchronicity since it ends with 88, and I didn't even remember that total until I just looked back through my gallery!

In my culture, the number 8 is very symbolic and sacred, representing abundance, good fortune, and the infinite flow of prosperity. Having this event fall on her 8th anniversary while looking back to see my past fundraising ended in 88 feels like a beautiful, divine confirmation. Now, I'm ready to bring that same dedication to Dementia Australia.

Claim a Year of Guidance: My $88 Goal

For the Memory Walk & Jog, my fundraising goal is set at a highly intentional $88 (symbolising prosperity, infinity, and our eternal bond).

• The Seed: I have personally kickstarted it with my own $8 seed to represent carrying her spirit across all 8 years.
• The Call: I am calling in 8 beautiful souls to claim a $10 year of her guidance.

Please consider claiming one of the 8 years to support Dementia Australia. Every dollar funds vital support services and crucial research for a cure. I hope my journey serves as a living light that inspires others facing this disease to never give up hope; hold onto your lighthouse.

Every memory we shared is an eternal spark, resting inside the temple of my soul. Always in my heart, never worlds apart—our spirits are bound by a thread that time cannot break.

Together we can make a massive difference. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for matching my heart energy, and my mission with your generosity! 🌞✨