Press release -
Young stroke survivor inspires dad to jump for charity
A devoted dad from Sandy will be taking the plunge from approximately 12,000 feet, to raise money for the Stroke Association after his son had a devastating stroke.
David Watson was just 30 years old, and at home with his partner and 9 year old daughter, when he woke up collapsed by his bed unable to move.
David’s dad Alan Watson (63) said: “David’s stroke came completely out of the blue for both me and my wife, with no warning whatsoever. When his partner called me in the early morning to say that David couldn’t move his legs, I thought he must had done something to his back, so told her to call an ambulance and I jumped in my car to drive over to them. When I got there, the paramedics were already there and ready to take David to hospital. I stayed with my granddaughter while David and his partner went to the hospital. It was a really scary time for the whole family. My wife and I initially stayed with our granddaughter, terrified about what had happened to our son.”
David spent ten days in Lister Hospital where he was treated for his stroke. David was then transferred to Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust in Welwyn Garden City, where he worked on his rehabilitation and strength for 2 weeks. David has now returned to work with his company T and T couriers, who specifically acquired a small van so he was able to take on smaller jobs and work shorter hours.
On Saturday 8 August, Alan Watson and his sister Jennifer Watson will be doing a tandem sky dive to raise awareness and vital funds for the Stroke Association. Alan adds: “It was my sister Jennifer who came up with the idea to take part in the sky dive for charity. I quite like a challenge, so I thought it was a great opportunity to take on a sky dive whilst helping to raise awareness.
“We set ourselves the target of £500, and have amazingly already raised over £1,000! My family are really keen to raise awareness of this horrible condition, so more work can be done to help conquer strokes. No parent wants to see their child in such a vulnerable way like we did with David.
“Thankfully David was so determined that he has made a remarkable recovery, but there still will be ongoing challenges he will face after his stroke. We want this money to go towards helping more stroke survivors and families who have to come face to face with stroke”
George Burroughs, Fundraising Manager from the Stroke Association in the East of England, said, “We owe big thanks to Alan and Jennifer for choosing to support the Stroke Association. We are a charity that relies on people like Alan and Jennifer as the money raised will go a long way in helping to prevent strokes and reduce their effect through campaigning, education and research. We wish them all the luck in the sky dive!”
To support Alan and Jennifer and to donate to the Stroke Association visit www.justgiving.com/Alan-Watson4
For more information about stroke, visit www.stroke.org.uk or call our helpline on 0303 303 3100
Topics
A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.
Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and together we can conquer stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at www.stroke.org.uk