Press release -
Putney resident goes the extra mile for the Stroke Association
An Insurance Broker from Putney is taking on the Paris Marathon on Sunday 9 April to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association.
Oliver Micklem, 25, was inspired to take on the marathon after his Grandmother Patricia had a stroke in 2010. Patricia was left with a communication difficulty called aphasia.
Oliver said: “Granny made a remarkable recovery, but she was left unable to speak, read or write for a while. Communicating with my Granny became quite a challenge, we all had to work out what she was trying to say as her words were very muddled - I particularly remember on one occasion that a tree became a 'frog'.
“Shortly after her stroke, I spent a lot of time doing what I called ‘Granny-sitting’, helping her with her speech therapy homework, and learning how to decipher her new way of talking. This meant that I could take her shopping, and generally keep her company to give my Grandad a break.
“While Granny is fortunate to have a large family to support her, I know that many others in a similar situation do not. The Stroke Association does fantastic work in providing support to people when they need it most, as well as funding research to help prevent and treat strokes in the future.”
Emma Evans, Events Manager at the Stroke Association in London, said: “There are around 1.2 million people in the UK today living with the impact of stroke, so it’s vital that we have people like Oliver who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. Oliver is truly making a marathon effort for the Stroke Association and we can’t wait to see him cross the finish line.”
It’s not too late to sponsor Oliver, just visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Oliver-Micklem1
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 one of the largest causes of 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
