Story
<p><strong>WELL DONE JULIE- A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT!</strong></p>
<p>....and thanks to all those who have supported her. She was so tired it was early to bed so she missed seeing herself on the telly! "Never mind" she said "it was all worth the effort" </p>
<p>Julie has currently raised in the region of £1400 so with a bit extra help from us all she can make that target of £1500.</p>
<p><strong>Julie's Story </strong></p>
<p>Julie aged 47 and a mum of three children had a stroke in 2008 which caused paralysis to one side of her body. She can now walk with some difficulty but with weakness in her legs and only the use of one arm. </p>
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<p>Before her stroke she could just swim enough to save herself if she fell in water but a couple of lengths of the pool were about all she could manage. In December 2010 she joined the Maidstone Swimming Club for the Disabled to try to help her mobility. </p>
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<p>Julie’s method of moving through the water is on her back. She has little or no power in her legs in the water and can only use one arm to propel herself along. She can only look directly up to the ceiling so following a straight course is extremely difficult. Despite this she has determinedly pressed on extending her distance of 5 metres initially to the remarkable recent achievement of one mile which is 64 lengths of the pool! This is all unaided and includes her turns at the end of each length.</p>
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<p>Julie now wants to go even further and complete a sponsored swim. It will be called “Going the Extra Mile” which is exactly what she intends to do. On Tuesday 15th November Julie will attempt to double her distance from one to two miles which is 128 lengths of the pool. This attempt will be a personal goal for Julie and she hopes it will also inspire other stroke survivors to set their own goals whatever they might be, to assist them on the road back to recovery. </p>
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<p>Julie’s swim will be in aid of The Maidstone Working Age Stroke Group (MWASG) and will be supported by The Stroke Association, The Maidstone Swimming Club for the Disabled and The Rotary Club of Maidstone Riverside. </p>
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<p>The MWASG is a local group for those who are of working age who have suffered a stroke. It provides an opportunity for these people to meet, socialise and through assistance from the Stroke Association help them back to as near a normal routine as their disability will allow.</p>
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<p>Julie expects to take at least three hours in the pool to achieve her goal and it will be a massive challenge, please help her to meet this goal. </p>
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