My Activity Tracking
268
kms
I’m taking part in the Great North Run as part of #TeamStroke
Why am I running for Team Stroke? I ask myself that question quite often. Well, it’s for Jon — my cycling partner and one of my closest friends.
Thirteen years ago, Jon was a healthy 45-year-old with an active job. He didn’t smoke or drink to excess, wasn’t overweight, and loved nothing more than playing a round of golf at the weekend — and, of course, cycling!
We used to go out cycling together regularly and thought nothing of undertaking a 50–60-mile bike ride at the weekend. When Jon wasn’t doing that, he spent his time hill walking and socialising with his wife, Kate, and friends.
On 28 March 2013, Jon was rushed to hospital with an unusually high heart rate and was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). AF can occur in people of all ages and increases the risk of stroke fivefold. In Jon’s case, this is exactly what happened. The AF caused blood to pool in his heart, which then travelled and blocked his brain stem. He was in intensive care for two weeks, and his family were told to expect the worst. However, he’s a stubborn sod and, despite all the odds, he survived.
Unfortunately, the stroke left Jon paralysed from the neck down. He lost his speech, and his only method of communication was blinking his eyes. Within the space of eight hours, his life — and that of his wife Kate, family, and friends — had changed forever. He eventually came home after eight long months, but the stroke left him with quadriplegia, and he remains non-verbal.
Kate supports him daily along with a team of carers, and this is why I’m running the Great North Run to raise money for the Stroke Association.
Jon is a true inspiration, and even if I have to complete this run by crawling, I will do it for you, Jon. LOVE YA xx!
My Achievements
Fundraising page set up
Added a profile pic
Made a donation
Shared your page
Reached 50% of target
Reached fundraising target
Longest run
Monday 24th Aug With only 3 weeks to go, completed my longest run 19k. No all down hill to the big day. Saw Jon yesterday and honestly he will keep me going round the GNR. Thanks everyone who has donated so far. Your support is amazing 🤩 Share
I must be mad
Monday 15th Sep Doing this for someone very close to my heart Jon Cusick. He’s a stroke survivor of 13 years. He inspires me everyday and that’s why I’ve joined Kim’s Krew for Stroke Association. ShareThank you to my sponsors
£55.88
Philip Ashton
£55.88
Mardel Commercial Interiors Ltd
Good luck Emma & the team, Go smash it, love Della & Darren xx
£55.88
Kevin Hubbard
Good luck 👍
£54.75
Hazel Searcy (kate’s Aunt)
Good luck Emma
£50
Kate Gordon
Well done you! An inspiration x
£50
Jonathan & Ellie
Go get em Bab you’ve got this, from Ellie & Jon!
£50
Kay Barrie
Go Em, you’ll smash it . Such a great cause xxx
£33.15
Dave Woodhead
Fabulous, very proud of you. Chapeau.
£28.44
Louise Mortimer
Good luck Em xx
£28.44
Sharon Lewis
Go Emma, you will smash it xxx
£28.44
Liz Morris
Good luck Em! You will smash it! X
£28.44
Eleanor M
Go Smash it Emma!!!
£28
Kate And Jon X
Emma your love and support for us both over the last 13 years means so much and I know you truly mean it when you say you finish it even if you’re on a fours, but we have every faith in you finishing up right and on two feet xx
£28
Abbie O’b
Smash it Em
£28
Jacqui
Go Emma - you’re amazing ! We have one life make it a blast 👊🏾
£28
Mat Barrie
Well done Em. 😘
£27.84
Emily Godfrey
Well done Em and a brilliant cause xxx
£26
47 Degrees Coffee
All the very best for the Great North Run Em, I'm sure you will smash it. Aidy & Shell X
£25
Margarita Queen
Smash it!
£25
Victoria Furness
Good luck Emma ♥️
£25
Sylvia Macarthur
Finish and you get a Brucie bonus! Wishing you all the best!
£25
Adie
£23.45
Anonymous
£23.45
Carl Fothergill
Good luck and go for it!
£23.45
Lisa Walton
I’ve always been in awe of you Emma, but even more so now. Sending you all my positivity and Jon all my compassion. What a beautiful friendship. I’ll be with you every step of the way x
£22.80
Ali Pali
Good luck Emma 👌🥰
£22.80
Peter & Pam Robin
COME ON EMMA WE KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! WE WILL BE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU ON THE TELE XX
£22.80
Steve Harper
You’ll smash it Em!
£22.80
Lucy Crisp
Amazing challenge Emma!! Go and smash it! Love Lucy, Aidan, Dawn and Royston xx
£22.80
Cheryl Needham
You’ll smash it Em. Love from Chez and Gaz1
£21.84
Hannah Buxton
Well done Emma & team! Go smash it! So proud bunk buddy xx
£20
Amantha King
Good luck lovely, you’ll do brilliantly! Book in a massage for those feet. Much love Amantha xx
£20
El Hefe
£20
Denise Walker
Go smash this my friend you are an inspiration 🙌💪❤️❤️❤️xxx
£17.89
Paul Goodrum
Great cause Emma and good luck xx
£17.10
Meg W
The best role model to look up to, you can do it MB - one foot in front of the other 🫶🏻
£16.74
Anonymous
£13
Mia
For Jon: £1 for each year (wish I could give more 😭). We’ve come a long way since doing language speeches at the bottom of his bed 😂 Now we just watch Pedro Pascal films together 😂 For Mom: You can do it MAMAAAAA!! Quasimodo is gonna make a reappearance I expect 😏
£12.25
Dan Merrison
All the very best Emma xx
£12.25
Beverley Mee
Well done Emma xx
£12.25
Michelle Welland ( Walter)
You’ll smash it ! Good luck xx
£12.25
Bex
£12.25
Jayne S
Good luck, and well done in anticipation 👏👏👏 Very worthy cause ❤️
£12.25
David Clow
Best of luck to Emma
£12.25
Lesley Goring
Good Luck Emma! Love Terry Lesley and Lottie x
£12.25
Richard Curtis
Good luck. Happy to donate for this very worthy cause.
£12.25
Penny Lumb
Good luck Em 👍
£12.25
Jo P
You'll smash this Emma. Amazing effort xxx
£11.55
Sophie Capes
£11.55
Sian
Go smash it Emma xxxxx
£11.33
Emma Barrie
Go Bazzer!
£11.31
Fiona Dawson
Well done mate, you've got this xxx
£10
Adam Reynolds
£10
Rachel And Mike
Good luck, you'll smash it xxx
£10
Becky Winter
Good luck Emma!
£10
Andrew Ebbage
Fantastic to see the consistency in training, keep it up Emma and you will smash this!
£10
Lucy C
Be brilliant lady xx
£10
Paul & Hazel
£10
Posh Penny
£10
Graham Meade.
It’s been a pleasure and a privilege knowing Mia and her mum. My golfing partner recently suffered a stroke and just over a year on we’re working on a gradual recovery. I know you’ll smash it and it’s raising money and awareness for a tremendously important cause.❤️
£10
Ange Crofts
Good luck to you all! You're bloody amazing xxx
£6.18
Amanda Turner
Good luck you will smash it! Wonderful cause xx
£5
Anonymous
Hi Emma, I'm a friend of Mia's! Best of luck to you and the team in the GNR!!
Way to go Emma, wishing all the best for the event 🤗