Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I was running a 5K race in August 2022. I was feeling good, and I was closing in on the finish line. One second I was running a good race, and the next I had the risk of not being able to live to see tomorrow or ever running again.

I felt strange, my vision was blurred, and I could hear my breathing become heavy and heart pounding. I struggled on, darkness imprisoning me. With my left hand, I held on to a wall. I couldn’t move my right arm and leg.

I was helped on to the floor by other runners and placed on my back. I couldn’t speak. Paralysis covered the right of my body. I had no pain. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I was helpless. 

I had a stroke.

I was rushed to Southampton Hospital where I had a thrombectomy. This saved my life and helped me avoid severe physical disability, however my speech has been affected.

In May 2023 I had a procedure to close the hole in my heart, the cause of my stroke, and the risk of having another stroke is greatly reduced.

It has taken me a long time to get running again, I was really anxious and I was so scared I would have another stroke.

So now with the support of my partner Emily and the wonderful people at Rock n Road Runners Run Club I am going to be taking on the Brighton Marathon to raise money for Jersey Stroke Support.

Tracey from Jersey Stroke Support has been amazing to me and Emily with all of her guidance and support. Jersey Stroke Support is a local charity supporting stroke survivors and their families by providing post-stroke reviews and raising awareness about stroke in the community. As a Jersey charity, what’s raised stays in Jersey, so that every pound raised will make a difference. I am very grateful for your support.

A stroke is a medical emergency and time lost is brain lost. It is incredibly important for you to act FAST, it could potentially save someone’s life. The FAST acronym aims to remind people that the key signs of stroke are Face - can the person smile? Arms - can they raise both arms? Speech - is their speech slurred? Time to call 999 if you spot any of these signs