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My story

 


Hi, it's Rita Stroud/Cheryl Baker here!

I did it!!! Yes, miracles can happen!  I completed the 13.1 miles Great North Run on Sunday 20th September. It was a glorious morning up in Newcastle where the run started at 10.40am for me and about 54 thousand others, including Jay Aston, Anna Skinner and Susie Lovell.   For a good few years now, Susie (Godmother to our children)  has pleeeeaded with me to do this run with her.  In a moment of insanity a few months ago, I finally conceded.  Our time, giving a few minutes for stops for interviews and a wee, was 2 hours 41 minutes, which I am thrilled about.  I really didn't think I would do it in less than 3 hours.  The momentum on the day just carried us faster. I ran for HEADFIRST, a charity which many of you are aware is very close to my heart.  For those of you who need to know more, read on:

It was 11th December 1984 and Bucks Fizz had just finished performing in Newcastle.  We had a 15-minute journey back to our hotel but disaster struck mid-journey.  We collided with a lorry coming in the opposite direction and Mike Nolan and I were thrown through the windscreen.  I broke 3 vertebrae and had cuts and bruises, Mike was not so lucky.  After more than 24 hours of being relatively OK, he deteriorated and was rushed into the emergency operating room to remove a blood clot from his brain.  His life hung in the balance but he managed to pull through.  The outcome of the accident, though, was to change Mike's life forever.  He suffered his first epileptic fit in my arms and was subsequently prescribed powerful drugs to combat the epilepsy. His eyesight was reduced to tunnel vision. He had no sense of taste or smell. He had terrible mood swings and was constantly tired. He had appalling short-term memory loss.  That was 25 years ago.  Although his senses of taste and smell have returned somewhat and he is not so moody, he still has tunnel vision, short-term memory loss and takes powerful drugs for epilepsy.  Through research, we now know that Mike's blood clot may have been avoided.

HEADFIRST researches into brain damage caused through accident, stroke or disease.  It is totally voluntarily run, so every £ donated will go towards helping people like Mike and, hopefully, preventing them having to suffer as he has.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support.

Cheryl/Rita xxxx

p.s. Read on to know more about JustGiving.


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Well done Wonderwoman!! What's the next challenge? Lots of love, Nikki R Donation by Nikki Richardson 01/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well Done Cheryl! Donation by Neil Warnock 28/09/09  

Well done to you all. Looking forward to seeing Cheryl, Jay and Mike in Bognor. Love Lisa Donation by Lisa Kenward 27/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Hi Cheryl Its been an honour to be able to get to know you and Mike through the new albums and a pleasure to give to such a worthy cause. Donation by Kevin Newell 26/09/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Congratulations on completing the run! Looking forward to seeing you on your upcoming tour! (As many dates as I can make!) Lossa luv!!! Donation by Richie Jay 25/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Cheryl. I am looking forward to seeing you all in concert at Dudley Donation by Hall Sarah 24/09/09  

£20.00

Hi Cheryl, good job on the run, being epileptic too I can understand how worthy this cause is. Congrats again. x Donation by Jamie 24/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done! Pete Donation by Peter Grant 22/09/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

i LOVE YOU AND VERY PROUD OF YOUR 13 MILES XXXXXXX Donation by HUSB 21/09/09  

£60.00 + £16.92 Gift Aid

Don't overdo it because you have a concert tour comin up! Accidentally ticked hide donation, its £30 Donation by Tozza 20/09/09  

Thanks for the photo on Friday, Good luck on Sunday, Chris, Essex Donation by Christopher White 20/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Cheryl! Will be thinking of you! Donation by Ian Tovell 19/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Rita, I will be thinking of you. - I'm really impressed Donation by Lesley Turner 19/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Hi Cheryl! Best of luck to you and Jay for the run tomorrow, will be watching out for you on the TV! Hope you enjoy it!! Kev x Donation by Kevin Rhodes 19/09/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Good luck Rita, we'll be thinking of you! You're either very brave or very stupid ;-) Love Sarah & 'Jimbopaloba he's your baby' Moses! xxx Donation by Sarah Moses 18/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Wow...Supermum!!!! I'm so impressed, what an inspiration, good luck to you all, see you soon xx Donation by Charlotte Hirschfield 16/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Cheryl. Looking forward to checking out your record time... (try to trip the one-legged man this time - it shouldn't be difficult!). Donation by Matthew Wheeler 16/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

run, run for your life! Donation by D. L.K 15/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck and well done Cheryl. Don't kick off your Sunday shoes till the end, I'm sure they won't have to pull you offa your knees! Donation by Alison Drury 15/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good Luck Cheryl, Jay and the rest of the team. Looking forward to seeing you on tour next month.x Donation by patricia smyth 15/09/09  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

Good luck Rita and your team - bet you wished you had used the Gym on Ventura!! Donation by Neil & Paul 15/09/09  

£20.00

Donation by jane law 14/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done Reet - wishing you all the best for 20th - love from Annemarie x Donation by Annemarie Livett 14/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck - let me know how it goes; I've only a month before my run! Want to keep training?! Donation by Elaine Heath 13/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck Cheryl, Jay and the rest of your team. Donation by Gary Basford 11/09/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Good Luck Cheryl Donation by Charles & Allan xx 11/09/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Hi Cheryl. Are you pogo-sticking, or unicycling - or maybe doing 13 miles of forward-rolls? Seems a bit tame otherwise. Good luck and well done! Donation by Greg Childs 11/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck Cheryl, see you on tour xx Donation by Susan Horrocks 10/09/09  

£10.00

Best of luck Rita. Be thinking of you and have a large glass of something good at the end!! Donation by Diane & Tony Jepson 10/09/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Lots of luck to you all - just keep on running Donation by The Lane Mob 10/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
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