58sFORYOU Mum
On February 26th, my siblings and I experienced the most heartbreaking day of our lives. We lost our beautiful mum to an ischemic stroke. She was young, healthy, and full of life, so full of love. The medical team did everything they could, but in the end, we had to make the devastating decision to switch off her life support. It’s something I’ll never forget, and something that changed me forever.
I'd describe my mum as the toughest, most selfless woman I’ve ever known. She never let anything bring her down, she just kept on keeping on. She always put everyone before herself. Mum was the kind of person who made you feel like everything would be okay, even when it wasn’t. And she did it all with such quiet strength. Every memory I have of her is a treasure.
Losing her has taught me a lot about life, about how fragile it really is. Stroke doesn’t discriminate. It can hit anyone, no matter your age, fitness, or health. Mum was fit and full of life, and it still happened to her. That’s why I’ve decided to do something that’s a little bit mad, and a whole lot meaningful.
From August 10th to October 6th, I’ll be running 58 half marathons in 58 days. Yeah, you read that right. It’s a huge challenge, and I’m under no illusion that it’s going to be easy, but I’m doing it for a reason. I’m doing it to raise awareness about stroke prevention, and to help people on the long road of recovery after stroke. I’m doing it for the ones who can’t. And above all, I’m doing it for Mum.
I know she’d be proud. She always believed in pushing through pain for the sake of others, and this is my way of carrying that torch. I feel her with me every day, especially on the days where I want to give up. I can almost hear her voice telling me to keep going. And I will.
To anyone out there thinking about doing something big, something bold, or something that scares you - just do it. The human body is an incredible thing, and we are all capable of more than we think. Life’s too short to play it safe. Do the wild thing. Do the hard thing. Step out of your comfort zone. Be kind to yourself and to others. Tell your people you love them. That’s what matters.
I dedicate this blog and these 58 half marathons to you Mum – I love you.