Philip Hall

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Fundraising for Connect - the communication disability network

Story

Some of you will know of the story last time I tried something like this - last year I went for the Run to the Beat Half Marathon - it didn’t go that well…. so this year I have thrown down the gauntlet and upped the ante - I will try to achieve a lifetime ambition and head for the full monty and run a proper Marathon...

I'm all for a good cause and although there are many deserving charities out there I am very pleased to have found a low profile organisation who can fully use all the help they can get.

I am running for a charity called Connect. They are a charity for people living with aphasia, a communication disability which usually occurs after a stroke. I have seen the impact of a stroke at first hand and watched a very fit and healthy 50 year old suddenly lose the ability to communicate. Any funds that can be raised to help people get properly back on their feet having been through this loss must be a good thing.

Here are some basic facts;

Every 11 minutes, at least 3 people will have a stroke

One of those will lose the power to communicate (speak, read or write), this is called aphasia

People working in the city are 40% more likely to have a stroke than those in other professions – this is closer to home than many of us would care to admit.

It can happen to anyone at any time (there is an attached link to a video of an 18 year old with aphasia

Connect has been set up to:

support people with aphasia to develop and deliver services that they need and want;

provide training and consultancy to a wide range of service providers;

provide information and support to help everyone understand aphasia and its impact;

champion the rights of people with aphasia and communication disability

So please be generous with your support – my pain will be immense (if that motivates your generosity), and the challenge sizeable – I am beginning to come to terms with how sizeable; having run over 12 miles the other day (with the buckets of sweat that went with it), I was very relieved to get home until realised that I hadn’t even got half way….

Your support would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.

About aphasia

Aphasia is a communication disability which occurs when the communication centres of the brain are damaged. It is usually caused by stroke, but can also be caused by brain haemorrhage, head injury or tumours.

What does having aphasia mean?

Each person with aphasia experiences it differently. Some people cannot speak at all; some people have just a few words. Others can no longer read, write or use numbers.

Everyday activities such as having a conversation, answering the phone, watching television, may suddenly become a source of profound frustration and anxiety both for the person with aphasia and for their families, friends and carers.

You may not have heard of aphasia, but the chances are that you will know someone who has suffered from it.

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