Andy Leung

I'm taking part in the TCS London Marathon 2026 as part of #TeamStroke

There are over 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK, with around 100,000 strokes happening every year — that’s one every five minutes.

Life can change in an instant.

My life changed forever on 21st May 2024, shortly after returning from an early evening jog with my daughter. Twelve hours later, after being admitted to hospital, I was told I had suffered a stroke the night before.

For the next three weeks, I was fed through a tube. I had limited mobility, constant dizziness and pain throughout my body. In those early days, I didn’t fully understand what had happened or how deeply the stroke would affect me. All I could focus on was getting better — believing that once I could eat and drink again, everything would return to normal.

It didn’t.

The weeks and months after leaving hospital were some of the hardest of my life. They were filled with fear, anxiety, anger and hopelessness. Even the simplest things became difficult. I went from being active to walking with a stick and becoming breathless after short distances, slowly relearning how to move forward again — physically and mentally.

The stroke didn’t just affect me. It affected my wife, my children, my family, friends and colleagues. I am forever grateful for the love and support they showed me — the messages, calls, visits, walks and quiet moments of company. Some went above and beyond, driving me to countless hospital appointments and rehabilitation sessions. You know who you are 🙏

At first, I needed someone with me just to leave the house. Then I managed short walks to the park on my own. Eventually, I found the courage to return to one of passions; running/parkrun — starting by walking, then walk/jogging, stopping when I needed to.

Step by step, those moments added up. What once felt impossible slowly became achievable: 1km, 2km, 5km, 10km, a half marathon. Every step came with pain — and still does.

Now, just two years on, after facing my darkest days, learning to live with constant pain, and rebuilding myself both physically and mentally, I am in a position to take on the London Marathon again.

This marathon is more than a run — It’s about resilience, recovery, and proving that life after stroke can still hold hope and purpose.

The Stroke Association played a vital role in helping me rebuild my confidence and find my voice again. 

Please support them so they can continue helping stroke survivors and their families rebuild their lives — one step at a time.

#everystepmatters

#grateful

Thank you 

Andy