Dr James Logan takes on the Bupa Great North Run for stroke

Dr James Logan, TV presenter of Embarrassing Bodies, will hit the streets of Newcastle on 7 September, when he tackles the Great North Run for the Stroke Association.

James, originally from North Berwick, is also a Senior Lecturer at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. His gran Margaret Kerr, 75, had a stroke just before Christmas in 2013. X-rays showed Margaret had a clot in her lung and pneumonia. The family were taken aside and told the devastating news that Margaret had just hours to live.

However, against all the odds and with lots of support from her daughter Barbara, James’s mother, and the rest of her family, Margaret has begun to make a slow and steady recovery. She is now walking with a zimmer-frame, feeding herself, speaking well, enjoying jigsaws and now considering knitting again.

James said: "I'm so excited and honoured to be running the Great North Run to support the Stroke Association and help raise money and awareness for stroke survivors and their families. Over the last few years I have seen the devastating effects of stroke on my own family. This year I will be running the Great North Run in honour of my awesome Gran who had a large stroke last year. We thought we were going to lose her, but against all odds she is making a remarkable recovery.

“I've found training quite tough as I'm suffering from ITB syndrome - a problem with one of the ligaments on my leg. But I will be thinking about gran all the way round the run in Newcastle and I'm sure this will pull me through. What an inspirational lady! I'll also be doing the run for the rest of my family, but particularly my Mum who was so unbelievably strong and gave gran the incredible
support she needed to get better."

Janet Price, Regional Fundraiser at the Stroke Association, said: “With around 152,000 strokes a year in the UK – that’s around one every three and a half minutes - it is vital that we have people like James who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. We’re really grateful to him for taking on this rewarding challenge and for all the support he has shown the Stroke Association. We look forward to cheering him on as he speeds from Newcastle to South Shields.”

To sponsor James, you can visit www.justgiving.com/James-Logan3/ or text STRK55 followed by £amount to 70070.

The Stroke Association is the UK’s leading stroke charity which campaigns to improve stroke care; supports people to make the best recovery they can; and funds ground-breaking research to change the lives of people affected by stroke. For more information about stroke, visit stroke.org.uk or call the helpline on 0303 3033 100.