I am running the London Marathon in April 2023. Running a marathon is a personal goal I have always wanted to achieve, so I am VERY excited… but please read on to see why my charity fundraising is also a really important part of this challenge…

In December 2021 something sudden and unexpected happened in my family. Jacqueline, my granny, had a stroke. It came out of nowhere.

In the first few days we didn’t even know if she would make it, or how severe any lasting damage would be.

What followed was weeks and months of therapy and rehabilitation. She still doesn’t have the use of her right side, so had to learn to do everything with her left instead.

What never disappeared though was her personality. Even in the early days when she was still very poorly in hospital she recognised faces and people, and slowly but surely the essence of who she is kept coming through. Her communication improved massively, and continues to improve. 

She is now in a lovely care home and my 92-year-old grandpa Brian visits her regularly. And when they are together they sit and hold hands and chat about this and that, and it is beautiful. 

This is not a sob story - this is a happy story. And it’s partly because of the work that the Stroke Association have done and still do - the research, the fundraising, the campaigning - that my family has this story. 

I am grateful that I don’t have to run the London Marathon in Granny’s memory, but I can do it in her honour. 

We were fortunate to have excellent facilities near us to provide care and treatment, but many do not and this is where the Stroke Association can step in and provide additional support to help survivors and their families after a stroke. 

So I ask please give whatever you can to this cause:

- GIVE because you know Jacqueline - how far she has come, and how well she is doing.

- GIVE because you know me and how much of a challenge this is (I will need motivation and encouragement to get me to the start line, let alone across the finish line!!!) 

- GIVE because you know someone whose life has been impacted by a stroke. 

- GIVE because you or your family might be impacted by a stroke one day.

Please GIVE whatever you can to the work of the Stroke Association to ensure survivors of stroke, and their families, can have even better outcomes in the future. 

THANK YOU.

The Stroke Association are the UK's leading stroke charity, delivering amazing, life-changing support to over 70,000 stroke survivors and their families each year. Without people raising funds for the Stroke Association they could not provide the support and research that they do. Your donations are so important to rebuilding lives after stroke.