Nathan Amery
Nathan and Brendan's Devizes to Westminster 125 mile canoe race
Fundraising for Stroke Association
Story
On Easter Saturday (31st March), Brendan and I will be setting off from Devizes via the Kennet and Avon canal on a 125 mile journey in a 2 man kayak (k2). Along the way, we'll be tackling 77 portages (locks) and spending up to 30 hours sat a few feet apart as we attempt to complete the journey to Reading and onto the Thames, finishing at Westminster bridge, some time on the Sunday.
Neither of us are kayakers. In fact, it was at 3am in a bar in Amsterdam last year that we decided to enter the race, famously the longest non-stop canoe race in the world at which point neither of us had ever been in a canoe/kayak.
Some initial training saw us frequently get wet and able to paddle only a few miles but steadily juggling around work and family we've managed to build up to about 35 miles in dark, sun, snow, rain and thick ice as we've continued through the winter.
We would not stand any chance of completing the race alone so this sponsorship also marks the efforts of Matthew Tregoning who will be cycling the majority of the route providing support and our two support crews (led by Sarah and Verena) who between them will be following us for 30 hours, feeding us, motivating us and making sure we do not walk away from our boat until Westminster!
With just a number of weeks remaining and nursing injuries, aches and pains we're determined to complete the race and in doing so raise funds for a charity and cause close to us.
Until recently I thought only the elderly were stroke sufferers. The idea that someone, fit, healthy and in his 30's could all of a sudden have a stroke was beyond me.
That happened to someone who I've known since I was 11. Unexpected, unannounced, whilst at work and three weeks after his wedding day, Russell had a stroke. He was as fit and healthy a guy as you'd ever meet.
25% of strokes occur in people under the age of 55. These people are our age. It could affect those close to you, your family, friends, colleagues. It's next to impossible to predict or see it coming and the effects are significant on both the victim and those close to them.
Strokes effect people in different ways, some make a full recovery, others maintain a loss of movement and some take a long time to regain their speech and ability to communicate, some never regain what has been lost. 1 in 3 stroke survivors suffer from asphasia (either temporary or permanent).
As a result of his stroke, Russell has both dysphaxia and asphasia. These condition affects all aspects of communications including reading, writing and speaking. He knows what he wants to say and has all of his intellect as before but the neurological pathways that send the words from his brain to his voice box are so damaged he struggles to speak. Whilst he has some words they're often not the words he wants to use as a result of the dyspraxia. As a result he is currently not able to work and has a long road of rehabilitation ahead with a stark reality he may never speak properly again.
The Stroke Association and Speakibility fund research into strokes and support victims and their families, here is example of the localised work Speakability carry out:
“Speakability Self-Help Groups are run by and for people with Aphasia - language-loss following stroke, head injury or other neurological condition. At our meetings we support each other, share experiences, make new friends, rebuild self-confidence and develop new skills. We do not provide therapy.We practice total
The funds that we raise through this event will help more people gain access to support post stroke and go towards helping many people in their recovery.
Within the Stroke Association group, funds raised will be directed to Speakability to help people like Russell.
Thanks for reading and your donations are very very gratefully received.
For a short video of Russell's story:
For more information on the event see: