Dayna Littlejohn

I'm taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026 as part of #TeamStroke

Hi all, I’m running a half marathon to raise money for the Stroke Association – a cause that’s incredibly close to my heart.

When I was 14, my mum, Ann Marie Purvis, was fit, healthy, and full of life when she suddenly had an unexpected ischaemic stroke at just 38. In a single moment, our lives changed forever. The stroke affected the left side of her brain, leaving her with aphasia — taking away her ability to easily speak, read, write, and understand language — and causing paralysis in her right hand. She later developed epilepsy, bringing even more challenges into her daily life.

Seeing her go through these challenges and navigate life after stroke has been really tough at times. Becoming a young carer as a teenager wasn’t something I ever expected,and shown me how important support systems like the Stroke Association really are.

The Stroke Association has been there for families like mine, funding life-changing research and offering vital help and rehabilitation to survivors and carers across the UK.

I’m running this race to honour my mum and to help make sure other families get the same support we did. Every donation, no matter the size or even a wee share truly means the world 💜

Thank you so much for your support😊
– Dayna

There are over 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK, with 100,000 strokes happening in the UK each year. That's one stroke every five minutes.

We're here to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke. We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke, so we work with the stroke community to make sure people affected by stroke get the very best care and support. We rely on your support to provide vital services, campaign for better stroke care and fund research into preventative and rehabilitative treatments.

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