On 10 July 2021, my dad was preparing to race in the semi-final of Henley Master’s Regatta, having raced and won his heat the day before.

As he was getting ready, he collapsed in the shower. Moments later, he was rushed to the hospital for life-saving surgery.

This was the day my dad suffered a stroke.

The next 18 months were life-changing. Not just for Dad, but also for my family and me. We watched Dad regain his ability to walk, eat, drink, get dressed, and in time, even start cracking wise again (mostly at the expense of me and my mum).

Dad’s road to recovery has been the single most inspiring journey I have ever witnessed. We have laughed and we have mourned. We have shed tears of grief and of joy. There have been ecstatic highs and crashing lows. But despite everything, Dad shows up every day and puts in the work.

Last year, I decided that I would race the course of Henley Royal Regatta, a feat that Dad had always wanted to see me do. I trained hard for 6 months at London Rowing Club and in June of that year, I raced the course at HRR Qualifiers while my dad watched from the riverbank. I wanted to quit so many times. But every time I thought what I was going through was tough, I remembered Dad was going through something infinitely harder. Over time, I grew to be grateful that I was able to push my body; some people don’t or no longer have this privilege that I have so often taken for granted.

This year, I have set myself the goal of running my first marathon, but this time I want to raise awareness about stroke. That’s why I’m running the Brighton Marathon 2023 for Stroke Association. The work they do is incredible, and I want to give back to this amazing organisation.

I have also signed up to be a Community Connector for them, so if you’re in the Brighton area and are interested in volunteering/fundraising for them, please get in touch and let’s chat.

I asked Dad why he thought people should donate to my cause. This is what he said:

“The jury’s still out on what causes strokes because I shouldn’t have had one. Good diet, exercise, retired - why should I have had a stroke? A lot more needs to be done research-wise. We need to think outside the box.”

Your donation facilitates this type of research. It also contributes to clinics for stroke survivors and countless resources, including rehabilitation aid and specialist support.

Please consider donating and give generously if you can. If you’re not in a situation where you can give money, your support is equally valuable. Please consider leaving a like, share, comment, or whatever else you feel comfortable doing. Anything and everything will help!

With all that being said, I should probably get running...

Tom x