Press release - 14 March 2019 15:46

Southampton stroke survivor takes on London Landmarks Half Marathon

A stroke survivor from Southampton is taking on the London Landmarks Half Marathon on Sunday 24 March 2019, to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association.

Father of six, John Shiner, 58, had a stroke in December last year. John said: “My stroke came as such a shock to us all as a family. I didn’t think I’d ever have a stroke; I exercise every day, eat very sensibly, don’t smoke and drink in moderation. I have since learnt that a stroke can happen to anyone at any time. It’s such a cruel condition.

“I have been really determined through my recovery and I’m now back to the place I was before my stroke. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. Thankfully I’ve had brilliant support and guidance from family, friends and healthcare professionals during my rehabilitation.

“I count myself as one of the lucky ones. That’s why I want to do as much as I can to raise awareness of stroke and support the Stroke Association. The charity do a brilliant job to support stroke survivors and their loved ones.

“On the day I’ll be running with my son, Jack. Training has been going well and I’m looking forward to the day!”

Kirsty Allard, Events Assistant at the Stroke Association, said: “With around 100,000 strokes a year in the UK – that’s around one every five minutes - it is vital that we have people who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. We’re incredibly grateful to John for taking on this huge challenge and we’ll be cheering him on every step of the way. The money will go a long way in helping to support people who are living with the effects of stroke, as well as their families and carers.”

To sponsor John, please visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/shiner

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 more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year; that is around one stroke every five minutes. 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