A marathon fundraising effort

Stroke Foundation Acting Chief Executive Office Lisa Murphy is normally most comfortable on two wheels, but the cyclist has traded in her pedals for a pair of Nikes and is chasing down the oldest
competitor at this year’s Run Melbourne. 

97-year-old war veteran Ken Lyons has so far raised $2,926 and counting, absolutely smashing his goal of just $800. Hot on his tail, Dr Murphy has to date raised $2,716 which completely surpasses her goal of $1,000.

Ken will be walking the 5K, he has been busy training for the annual event by pounding the pavement and doing laps of his Brighton retirement village.

“I may not be the fastest, but I will definitely be the most passionate on the track on Sunday!” Ken said.

“I’m proud to be raising much needed funds for Stroke Foundation in memory of my beautiful wife Jill who I sadly lost to a stroke 13 years ago. We were married for 63 great years, and I miss her dearly.”

Dr Murphy will be competing in the half marathon, a 21.1K course which is not for the faint hearted.

“It’s been 25 years since I last ran a half marathon, so I might be feeling a little worse for wear on Sunday afternoon, but it will definitely be worth it to raise money to help prevent, treat and beat stroke,” Dr Murphy said.

The pair are among 61 fundraisers who have so far raised an incredible $14,346 for Stroke Foundation.

Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and is a leading cause of disability. One Australian experiences a stroke every 19 minutes.

The Stroke Foundation recommends the F.A.S.T. test as an easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke. Using the F.A.S.T. test involves asking these simple questions:

Face: Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?

Arms: Can they lift both arms?

Speech: Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

Time: Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.

With just days to go, both Ken and Dr Murphy are keen to raise even more! To ensure Ken stays at the top of the Stroke Foundation fundraising tally, support him here. To see Dr Murphy overtake the oldest competitor at the event, and support her on her half marathon, follow the link.

Run Melbourne kicks off on Sunday, July 24 at Grand Slam Oval from 6:30am.