Paddy takes part in Edinburgh marathon for stroke charity

Finishing in an impressive time of four hours 29 minutes and 28 seconds, the Lurgan man is raising the cash for the Stroke Association.

The 31 year old also took part in the Stroke Association’s Resolution Run at Craigavon Lakes in March as a stepping stone to the prestigious Edinburgh Marathon.

However, he’s been doing more than simply running and raising funds for the charity.

Over the past year Paddy has balanced training for the marathon and really getting to know stroke survivors supported by the Stroke Association in Craigavon. A recent graduate of the University of Ulster, Paddy used his speech and language therapy skills as a volunteer in the Stroke Association’s local communication support programme.

“I feel very lucky to have spent time supporting stroke survivors, and in turn they’ve really spurred me on to train and raise money for the Stroke Association through the Edinburgh Marathon.

“I volunteered at the communication programme in the Brownlow Community Hub every week, and really got to know the group members during that time. With their help, and with the generosity of friends and family, I’ve been able to raise over £700 for the Stroke Association in Northern Ireland,” Paddy told the Mail.

“Over 10,000 people in Northern Ireland are living with aphasia, a communication disability that is common after a stroke.

“It affects people in different ways but can be a devastating condition that can alter all areas of life – such as buying a newspaper, family relationships, or returning to work,” he said.

Paddy said he loves working and helping stroke survivors. “Having a conversation is what so many of us take for granted,” he explained.

Paul Montgomery, Stroke Association Fundraising Manager, said: “Paddy’s one of these special people who puts others before himself. Not only has he given his time and skills to the charity as a volunteer, he saw that he could do more and has raised a fantastic amount in sponsorship. In Northern Ireland, somebody has a stroke every two hours. All money raised will go towards research into preventing strokes and supporting thousands of stroke survivors and their families to adjust to a life after stroke.”

Volunteers’ Week is taking place across the UK from June 1 to 7.