Press release -
Houghton-le-Spring family raises £2,000 for the Stroke Association
A Houghton-le-Spring man has joined forces with his family to raise more than £2,000 for the Stroke Association, after his wife had a life-changing stroke.
Father of three, Jonathan Greenwell, 38, was inspired to fundraise for the Stroke Association, after his wife Sue had a massive stroke in August 2016, at the age of 42. Sue spent five days at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, before transferring to Sunderland Hospital and then undergoing intense rehabilitation.
Since her stroke, Sue is now able to walk again with the use of a splint and a crutch, however her communication has been affected, with her writing, reading and speech skills all greatly reduced. Sue recently underwent an intense therapy course at Newcastle University Aphasia Centre to help improve her communication and is now taking part in a clinical trial through the university, using robot assisted training on her arm.
Jonathan was inspired to fundraise for the Stroke Association after the charity’s Family and Carer Support Service supported Sue with her recovery. He joined forces with Sue’s sister Laura Naisbett and her husband Andrew to take part in the Stroke Association’s Resolution Run in York in April, while Andrew completed the Edinburgh Marathon in aid of the charity in May. Collectively they have raised £2,000 and are now planning their next fundraising challenge.
Jonathan said: “We’ve received great help from the Stroke Association, so we were keen to raise funds to help other families affected by stroke get the support they need.
“Sue has fought and battled all the way with her recovery and her hard work is starting to pay off. We want to show stroke survivors that things can get better and improve over time. We’re now planning to organise a Coast to Coast Bike Ride for the Stroke Association as our next fundraising challenge.”
Kelly Knighting-Wykes, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at the Stroke Association, said: “Jonathan and his family have truly gone the extra mile for the Stroke Association. With around 1.2 million people across the UK living with the devastating impact of stroke, it is vital that we have people like Jonathan, Laura and Andrew to raise funds and help us conquer stroke. We’re very grateful for their support.”
To sponsor Jonathan, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jonathan-Greenwell .