Banbury man to run marathon four years after doctors warned he may never walk again

Will Brooks was a keen and fit runner until a stroke left him hospitalised in 2020.

Thankfully, his wife Carrie and daughter Chloe recognised the loss of feeling in Will’s right arm as the signs of a stroke and were quickly able to get him medical attention.

Will said: “It was amazing how fast they had me on a stretcher and travelling to the hospital. The news from the hospital was not good and there was a chance that I wouldn’t be able to walk or talk properly again. It was so worrying for me and my family.”

The stroke left Will unable to speak properly and only able to say the word 'yes' for some time. However, the effect of the stroke wasn’t as severe as first feared, and with time he has made a great recovery, although he has been left with some memory, speech and emotional difficulties.

Will has found that running and regaining his active lifestyle have been key components on his road to recovery. He said: “Running was important to me. Getting out of the house was great, and the dog really helped me as I started my recovery. I have run a couple of half-marathons since having the stroke; however, running a marathon will be much harder!”

Doctors discovered that Will’s stroke was caused by atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots in the heart, which can travel to the brain and cause a blockage.

Thankfully, a heart operation that Will undertook in September 2022 corrected this and resulted in him being able to set his sights on running a marathon.

Now, Will is ready to take on the Shakespeare Marathon around Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday, April 21, to help raise funds for the Stroke Association charity that has helped him through recovery.

Julia Shepherd, from the Stroke Association’s fundraising team, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Will for taking on the challenge of the Shakespeare Marathon.

“Every five minutes, a stroke destroys lives. It can strike anyone — young, old and anyone in between. The Stroke Association is here to fund research and support people to rebuild their lives after stroke, but this is only possible with the efforts of our amazing supporters, such as Will.

“We’d like to wish Will and everyone else who is running to raise funds for charities the best of luck!”

The Stroke Association is the UK’s biggest charity dedicated to stroke, and its Oxfordshire Stroke Recovery Service supports stroke survivors and their families in the county, helping them to rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of readmission to hospital.

For more information about Will’s journey or to support his upcoming marathon challenge, visit his JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/will-brooks-1701683274588

To find out more about the Stroke Association, visit its website at https://www.stroke.org.uk/, or call 01865 771624 or email [email protected].