On my daughter's birthday, I was about to teach a lesson when my husband called. Expecting Julian to ask about the celebrations later, my world stopped when his work informed me they had called an ambulance because he was unwell. I hurried to his workplace, my mind racing with thoughts, but I was not prepared to hear from the ambulance crew that Julian had suffered a stroke. Julian is a fit and healthy 44 year old runner, so I was in complete disbelief.

At the hospital, he underwent several scans which revealed a blood clot in his brain. He then had a thrombolysis procedure to remove the clot. It was terrifying to see someone I love lose functions like speech and movement. Despite the fear, the level of care was outstanding, though the time in the hospital felt like a blur.

Explaining what happened to our daughters was difficult—especially for Seren, as not only was it her 7th birthday but being older she understood more.

After leaving the hospital, doctors discovered a hole in Julian's heart, and he will undergo PFO closure to hopefully prevent further strokes. A PFO (patent foramen ovale) closure is a procedure to seal the hole between the heart's upper chambers using a device inserted through a catheter. This helps to reduce the risk of strokes by preventing blood clots from passing through the hole and reaching the brain.

I am raising money for Different Strokes because we never thought this could happen to someone young and healthy. Thankfully, Julian is doing okay and doesn’t have lasting problem's with speech or movement. He will however,, need to take medication for the rest of his life.

Different Strokes is a small national charity that supports working-age and younger stroke survivors. They help thousands of families impacted by stroke each year. Their services enable younger stroke survivors to reclaim their lives through active peer support.

Thank you for supporting me and Different Strokes with your donation.