My Story

Running for Recovery: My Stroke Story & London Marathon 2026

A brain injury changes everything. Walking, talking, thinking and even feeling can be affected - sometimes permanently. It often means losing not just the life you once lived, but the person you once were.

We often think, “It will never happen to me,” yet every year around 340,000 people in the UK are admitted to hospital with an acquired brain injury – one every 90 seconds. A brain injury, including a stroke, can happen to anyone, at any time.

In December 2017, I found this out the hard way.

On my way home from work, I stopped at the post office. As I got out of the car, I was suddenly overcome with dizziness, double vision, nausea and heat. I somehow managed to call my fiancée using Siri – but I had never felt so unwell.

That evening, I was told it was likely a neck strain. But the next day, the headache was unbearable. Determined not to let my pupils down on their last day before Christmas, I went into school. By lunchtime, I knew something was seriously wrong.

At the Walk-In Centre, things escalated quickly. Within an hour at hospital, I had an IV, a CT scan and finally the devastating news: I had suffered a large stroke in the cerebellum region of my brain. I was just 24 years old.

The stroke left me with sickness, balance problems, fatigue and coordination difficulties. It was frightening and life-changing, but I’ve worked tirelessly to rebuild. From re-learning cognitive skills like reading, writing, and typing to balance retraining, it’s been a long journey.

And it’s why I’m running the London Marathon in 2026.

I’m taking on this challenge not just for myself, but to raise £2000 for Headway – the brain injury association.

Headway is a lifeline for people like me and for thousands of others across the UK. They provide:

📞 A freephone helpline: 0808 800 2244 | [email protected]

🌐 A comprehensive website: www.headway.org.uk

📚 Publications to help people understand brain injury

💷 An Emergency Fund for families in urgent need

🆔 A recognised Brain Injury Identity Card to make everyday life easier

🤝 Local support groups across the UK

🏃 My Goal: £2000 for Headway

Running 26.2 miles will be one of the toughest challenges of my life – but every step will be for those rebuilding after brain injury.

If you can, please support me in reaching my £2000 fundraising target. Every donation, big or small, will help Headway continue their vital work.

Together, we can help rebuild lives after brain injury.