Emma Canny

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

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

Dad, this one is for you 💜

Some people run half marathons for fun. Some of us run them to process ambiguous loss and grief, and to remind ourselves of our resilience in the toughest of times.

Running became a mental health lifeline when I needed it most. Runs in the woods whilst Dad was in hospital. After years of my own heart issues, I’m finally able to put one foot in front of the other for 13.1 miles and know that’s nothing compared to one foot in front of the other after two strokes.

A stroke happens to someone every five minutes. The Stroke Association are there to help stroke survivors and their families rebuild lives after a stroke. They also help fund amazing research and advocate for life saving treatments. Without a mechanical thrombectomy, Dad wouldn’t be here. The Stroke Association work hard to make sure those emergency procedures are available to everyone.

💜💜💜

There are over 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK, with 100,000 strokes happening in the UK each year. 

The Stroke Association are 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.