Niamh Foster

I'm taking part in the TCS London Marathon 2027 with #TeamStroke

In August 2024, at just 26 years old, my life changed in an instant when I had an ischaemic stroke.

One day I couldn’t walk properly, my speech had disappeared, and I had no idea what my future would look like.

Like so many people, I thought strokes only happened to older adults. I was wrong.

Recovery has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It has involved months of physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and learning to trust my brain again. Even today, I still live with the hidden effects of stroke every single day.

But stroke also gave me something unexpected: purpose.

Today I work for the Stroke Association, supporting other stroke survivors and their families, and I’ve been lucky enough to use my own experience to raise awareness across social media and even help support national conversations about stroke.

Now I’m taking on my biggest challenge yet: the 2027 TCS London Marathon for Team Stroke.

Every pound you donate helps the Stroke Association continue to provide life-changing support, fund vital research and make sure no one has to face stroke alone.

I know first-hand that stroke doesn’t end when you leave hospital. Recovery can take months, years or even a lifetime. The support available during that journey is invaluable.

Whether you can donate £5, £10 or simply share this page, every bit of support means the world to me.

Thank you for believing in me, for supporting Team Stroke, and for helping create a future where more people survive—and recover—from stroke.

Let’s do this. 💜