​Birmingham man set to run the city’s Half Marathon in memory of his wife

Bhavin Gohil, 40, from Hall Green, is preparing to take on the Birmingham Half Marathon on 15 October for the Stroke Association in memory of his wife.

Bhavin has chosen to raise vital funds for the charity after his wife, Sheetal, had a stroke in October 2016 caused by a blood clot in the brain. Tragically, Sheetal passed away at the age of just 37, following a second stroke in November 2016.

Bhavin said: “After Sheetal’s first stroke, we were visited by the Stroke Association while we were on the stroke ward, and found out about the charity’s support. We now want to raise vital funds in memory of Sheetal, to help other families affected by stroke to get the support they need.

“My training is coming on well and it helps improve my health, increases my weight loss, changes my negativity into positivity and helps me clear my mind when life becomes confusing. I hope to make my wife proud, as we both liked to help others as much as we could.”

Bhavin is planning to host coffee mornings, a raffle and other local fundraising events to help him achieve his £1,500 target.

Claire Pell, Community and Events Fundraiser at the Stroke Association, said: “With more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year, it’s vital that we have people like Bhavin to help raise funds. We’re incredibly grateful to him for choosing to support the Stroke Association in memory of his wife.The money raised will go a long way in helping to support people who are living with the effects of stroke and their families and carers, as well as help to prevent people from having a stroke.”

To sponsor Bhavin, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/remembrance-run

For more information about the Stroke Association, visit www.stroke.org.uk or call the Helpline on 0303 303 3100.