In early July my Dad suddenly suffered an ischemic stroke. It happened around 10am on a Saturday morning - the same morning he was due to compete in the Henley Masters Rowing Regatta; a national event he and his crew had been training for months. Sport, in particular rowing, has always been a passion of his. Since winning the crown of British schoolboy champion at a young age, rowing has always been in his blood. He was in peak physical condition that day, and in perfect health ready for race day. He couldn’t have been any fitter if he tried. But since that morning life has changed. Dad is now in rehab and on his recovery journey, but it’s long and tough.

I'm running the Royal Parks Half Marathon for #TeamStroke. There are over 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK, with 100,000 strokes happening in the UK each year. That's one stroke every five minutes. Stroke Association believes everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. Your support will help them to provide vital services, campaign for better stroke care and fund research into preventative and rehabilitative treatments. 

When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. Life changes instantly and recovery is tough. But the brain can adapt. Specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the courage and determination of the stroke community.

Help me raise as much as possible to help rebuild lives after stroke - thank you so much!