Making a Difference to Brain Research Trust

4 min readJan 1, 2018

On the 16th October 2017 my Gran (Aileen) died after 5–6 weeks after suffering a serious stroke. Aileen was found on an early Saturday morning by my family collapsed on the floor.

This period of time was both soul destroying and fun. We witnessed many ups but many downs. It brought the family together and we had some real good times with Aileen whilst we all helped her fight on.

Unfortunately, she lost this battle after she deteriorated over the last week of her awesome life.

I felt unimaginable pain. Pain I had never experienced. The following crossed my mind over and over again:

The thought of her been helpless on the floor on that Saturday morning
Her been potentially bed-ridden for the rest of her life when she was to recover
How she may live her life when she did get out of hospital. Would she be able to speak?
… and ultimately, the fact we actually knew very little of the cause of her condition!

I looked around the Doncaster Royal Infirmary Stroke Ward on many occasions. Questioning how many of the patients here were going through all this with no family, no support? How many of those who were by someones bedside actually had no-one to turn to either?

The Brain Research Trust

I came across Brain Research Trust (https://brainresearchuk.org.uk/) on a train on the way to London.

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. It weighs just 3lb, yet it controls our emotions, senses and actions. Every single one of them. It is how we process the world around us. So when it breaks down, we break down.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
There are hundreds of neurological conditions. We fund the best research to discover the causes, develop new treatments and improve the lives of those affected.
We inspire scientists and families to come together, side by side, stride by stride.
Help loved ones live better, longer. Let’s unite to accelerate the progress of brain research. Today.

I wanted to stop people feeling the same pain that my Gran must have felt during her time from illness through to passing.

I want to help an organisation as much I could to make differences to others in all the fields they work in, not just stroke.

I wanted to help others to become more aware of the reasons what these conditions mean and why they are call. Prevention rather than management.

Running is what I do… just not well (at the moment)

Between 2010–2013 I was at peak fitness. A ~20 minute ParkRun, 42 minute 10km, 1:32 Half Marathon and a 3:45 (whilst injured) Edinburgh Marathon. Then the Half Ironman of 2014…

My friend (Steve Poole) and I would regularly race.

Now on the other-hand, my running is a leisurely activity to simply allow me to eat more cake and drink more beer.

That is now to change!

London Marathon 2018!

A few days prior to Christmas, Jen at Brain Research Trust called me to confirm a place had become available and offered it to me.

I jumped at the chance! The start of a great relationship and an opportunity for me to help to others in a situation I never want anyone else to face

Over time, I will be releasing blogs, possibly videoblogs, posts and other social media relating to my journey to VLM18. I hope you all support me. In the meantime, please visit my Virgin Money Giving page below: