London Marathon 2024 #TeamStroke
On the 27th of October 2021, at 19 years old, I suffered from an Ischemic Stroke caused by a blood clot in my brain. This affected the visual part of my brain and left me permanently losing 25% of my vision. That day changed my life as I went from a competitive gymnast completing their degree apprenticeship, to spending a week in hospital with covid regulations. Being told I was allowed one visitor for one hour a day and that I would no longer be allowed to drive, while being poked and prodded by doctors 24/7, was quite the shock to the system. On top of it all they still couldn’t work out why I had this stroke.
It took 6 months for the cause to be identified and I count myself extremely lucky to have had an amazing support system during this time. After many tests, it was discovered that I had a Patent Foramen Ovale, otherwise known as a hole in the heart. Whilst this didn’t answer why I developed the blood clot in the first place, at least it explained how it travelled to my brain and could be fixed with a keyhole heart surgery.
Cut to February 2023, nearly a year and a half after the stroke, I had heart surgery. While the surgery's physical recovery took around two weeks, mentally the entire process is still something I am dealing with today. Going from a fit and healthy person, to being scared to walk too fast after surgery was quite the adjustment, but as I like to think, at least I could walk (unlike many unfortunate stroke patients)! So, this opportunity to run the London Marathon is one that I am truly grateful for.
Despite still coming to terms with the fact that I will never know why this happened to me in the first place, I am finally ready to face my next challenge. Even prior to the stroke, I never imagined myself running a marathon. In addition to raising as much money as I can to help this amazing charity, I'm hoping to increase awareness for young adult strokes, which, against popular belief, account for 10 - 15% of all stroke victims.
Any donations would be greatly appreciated #TeamStroke💜
My Achievements
Fundraising page set up
Added a profile pic
Made a donation
Shared your page
Hit first milestone
Hit second milestone
Reached 50% of target
Hit final milestone
Reached fundraising target
Thank you to my sponsors
£265
Anonymous
£260
Mum And Dad
£106
Brad Fritz
Well done Tilly for getting the marathon done.
£106
Barry And Gill King-smith
Well done Tilley, so pleased your run was so successful in many respects. All the Best, Barry and Gill
£106
James, Christine, Tim And Charles Le Couilliard
Tilly - best of luck. Your story still amazes (and dismays) us. It's fantastic what you have achieved since your stroke and what you are doing now.
£106
Lallie
£100
Catherine And Tim James
Go Tilly !!
£100
Becca Nelson-smith
So so proud of you!! Go smash it xxx
£100
Alice
So glad too have met a friend and strong as you! Absolutely smashing it everyday xxxx
£75
Jonathan/sarah Wilson
Well done Tilly. Impressive.
£53
Matt Turner
Good Luck Tilly from all the Turners
£53
Helen Simmonds
£53
Alan Durham
You’re an inspiration to us all! xx
£53
Ruth Byrne-quinn
May the sunshine, my thoughts and love are with you!
£53
Nick
Im expecting a quick time
£53
Georgy Mason
Hey Tilly good luck and well done this is from us and Mum and Dad Georgy
£53
Richard Jamison
What a fantastic achievement, following such adversity.
£53
Gem
You got this girl! So proud :)
£53
Andy Bacon
Go Tilly, Go Tilly, Go Go Go
£53
Hayley Farrelly
You go girl!! Xxx
£53
Hazel Lee
Go Tilly! You are amazing xx
£53
Adrian Leeming
Good luck let us know how you go
£50
David & Pim Grimes
We are very proud of what your doing. Enjoy the day. Love David & Pim x
£50
Ted
run like the wind
£50
Tessa
Go Tilly 🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️
£41.80
Tony & Sarah Birch
Good Luck Tilly! We will be thinking of you. Love Tony, Sarah, David and Ellie xxx
£31.80
Elly Lee
All the love♥️ I’m rallying the family to send their donations too!
£31.80
Vivianb
£30
Nicole Marchant
So proud of you! X
£30
Aaron Hussein
Good luck Matilda, hopefully your slow run club 5Ks are worth it 🐌
£30
Andrew Betts
£27.56
Max Farrelly
Let’s go Peloton
£26.50
Guy Goodman
Great effort hope you enjoyed the day
£26.50
Rebecca Norton
Go for it Tilly!!!!! You are amazing! Will be with you in spirit Xxxx Rebecca and Clara and Anouk and Philippe
£26.50
Tamzin Jamieson
Good luck Tilly! Xx
£26.50
Catherine Madden
Good lucky Tilly! With love from the Madden family xxxxx
£26.50
Paul Bodycomb
I’m pleased to hear your running is back on track and going well. Enjoy the day, as I bet it will be an amazing experience. A very worthy charity too.
£26.50
Simon Cave
Good luck, it's a great event and for a fantastic cause
£26.50
Andy Callaghan
You can do it Tilly … should we be expecting the Guinness book of records ? Good luck … all the duprees
£26.50
Michael Nichols
Good Luck today Tilly!
£26.50
Jules Stobie
Tilly - you are a superstar and I'm so glad you're part of the team. An amazing story for an amazing young woman. Much love, Jules
£26.50
Suzanne, Jon & Maddy
Wow Tilly! Good luck and hope you raise loads for such a good cause. xx
£26.20
James A
Run Tilly Run! Keep on rubbing that Tiger Balm!
£26.13
Shah Ali
£26.13
Wilmie
Good luck Tilly 🍀
£25
Rob Evans
The very best of luck in Sunday.
£25
Hilary Birch
All the Best
£25
Imrankhan Jaffer
good luck!
£25
Kathleen And Jason N-s
£23.32
Max Farrelly
Clicked the wrong button so here’s the rest
£21.80
Anthony Birley
You are amazing Tilly and continue to be an inspiration to me, every day. Best of luck and look forward to hearing about it. xx
£21.20
Dan Head
£21.20
Charlotte Lee
Good Luck - Enjoy the Experience x
£20.90
Chrissy Bracey
Good Luck Tilly. Love, Chrissy, Ben and Oscar xxx
£20
Erin Grzegorzek
So proud of you tills, you’re going to smash it!! Xxx
£20
Imogen Vincent
You are incredible Tilly❤️
£20
Michelle Watts
Good luck Tilly 🙌
£20
Anonymous
£20
Jason Nelson-smith
Wow, amazing effort, don’t know how you did that. Well done!
£16.20
Lottie Goldfarb
£16
Sydney Bateman
u got this girlfriend 🫶🏼🫶🏼
£15.90
Greg Baynham
Good luck to my fellow stroke survivor! X
£15
The Ashworths
Good luck!
£15
Hannah Betts
Good luck Tilly!!! xxx
£15
Josie Betts
See you out there! Good luck with your training!!
£12
Charlotte Hoyland
So sorry to hear about this! What you’re doing is amazing, hope you are well :)
£11
Archie Callaghan
Just lmk if you want me to come down and Chuck water in your face
£11
Lee
You go girl! run, run like the wind...
£11
Sharon Russell
Go smash it Tilly x your amazing 🤩
£10.60
Alex Cowley
Good luck Tilly! Enjoy it xx
£10.60
Paul Knox
Good luck Matilda x
£10.60
Tara Sessions
Good luck Tilly, you will smash it! Love Tara & Rod xx
£10.60
Laura Clarke
Good Luck Tilly x
£10.60
Clare Haslett
Incredible - You should be very proud of yourself!
£10.60
Claudia Cowley
Woooooo go you, love your biggest cheerleader xoxo
£10.60
Euan Wilcox
Good luck, enjoy every minute of it! 🏃♀️
£10.60
John Clapson
Let’s go TILLY!!
£10.60
Vicky Lane
Good luck Tilly! A great cause
£10.60
Nicky Hoyland
I’m so sorry to hear you have had such tough times Tilly. You are doing amazing ❤️
£10.60
Emma Hamilton
Hi Tilly You will smash it x
£10.60
Hermione Jones
All the best x
£10.60
Elliot Chubb
Inspirational stuff, you’ve got this!
£10
Teddy Swire
£10
Nadine
You’re doing amazing! Smash it up girl!xxx
£10
Caroline Fairhurst
Good Luck 🍀 xx
£10
Emma And Simon Lyons
Good luck! Enjoy it
£10
Eleanor James
go smash it tilly!!
£10
Dean Lawrence
£10
Melanie Clarke
You are such an inspiration. Enjoy every minute Tilly, it is the biggest running party ever....I'll be looking out for you :-)
£10
Elle
You’ll smash it Tilly!! Wish I could be there, will be sending lots of positive and speedy vibes xxx
£10
Helen Everard
Good luck Tilly! And enjoy your Marathon.
£10
Anonymous
£10
Jacob Horne
An inspirational story, good luck in the marathon I’m sure you will smash it!
£10
Jan Sullivan
Good for you!
£6
Max Easton
£5.30
Emily Waterfield
£5
Caili-shea
GOOD LUCK TILLY!
Go Tilly