Helen Gibbons
2021 London Marathon for The Stroke Association
Fundraising for Stroke Association
Story
I’ll be running the 2021 London Marathon to honour Nan’s 101st Birthday this year! :)
Some years ago, Nan died suddenly a short time after suffering a stroke. She was fit, healthy and independent so this was a great shock and a massive loss to our family. She was always great fun and we enjoyed many holidays and Christmases together as a family – we’ll always remember those times and her wicked sense of humour! Had it not been for the stroke, we have no doubt that she would be celebrating her 101st Birthday with us this year so we thought we’d celebrate by fundraising in her memory – and what better way than by running 26.2 miles around London, the city she grew up in!
As some of you know, I’m not *exactly* the sporty type! So this will be a significant challenge, especially training in the cold! That’s why I need your help in reaching my fundraising goal to help The Stroke Association in their vital work in improving stroke survival rates and supporting those affected to rebuild their lives.
Any amount you can donate will be very much appreciated!
Helen X
P.S. Please don't forget to include GiftAid in your donations (& Matched Giving if your organisation supports it!) Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. All donations will be sent directly to the charity
More information and facts on stroke and the work of the Stroke Association is below.
What is a stroke – the facts
A stroke is when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, killing blood cells. Strokes often occur due to blood clots or burst blood vessels and can cause severe damage to the brain, or even be fatal.
- Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and causes about 6.2 million deaths each year.
- Every two seconds someone in the world will have a stroke – for the UK, that’s one in every five minutes.
- While older people are usually more at risk of a stroke, people are getting stroke earlier in life each year. Currently, more than 400 children have a stroke in the UK every year.
- Stroke is the 4th biggest killer in the UK – 1 in 8 strokes are fatal within the first 30 days.
- For those lucky enough to survive, two thirds will leave hospital with a disability
- Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the UK affecting almost two thirds of survivors
- Despite these facts, the money given to stroke research by the UK Government and charities equates to only about a tenth of that spent on cancer research.
Money raised for The Stroke Association goes to providing specialist support, funding critical research, and driving campaigns to make sure people affected by stroke get the best care and support in order to rebuild their lives.
- Support services help thousands of people rebuild their lives after stroke, including the provision of exercise-based rehabilitation, communication support, and emotional support through the Stroke Recovery Service.
- Research helps to improve treatments, care and rehabilitation – working to save thousands of lives and help survivors make the best recovery they can
- Campaigns and initiatives such as “FAST” and “Know Your Blood Pressure” have made people more aware of the risks and signs of stoke and the importance of taking emergency action.
