Greenwich stroke survivor goes the extra mile for the Stroke Association

Celebrity personal trainer and stroke survivor Jon Trevor is getting ready to put his best foot forward as he takes on the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association.

On Sunday 11 October Jon, who lives in Greenwich, will take on the 13.1 mile run with an all-star celebrity team made up of Jake Wood, John Altman, Diana Marchment, Lee Mead and George Rainsford.

In August 2013 Jon, 55, was getting ready for work one morning when he couldn’t understand why he was finding it hard to coordinate his left hand. Jon said, “It was a really strange feeling but I didn’t worry, I just thought I had trapped a nerve in my arm. Two days later my partner pointed out that my face had dropped on one side but we thought this may be down to a previous condition I’ve had called Bell’s Palsy. At this point she urged me to go to the doctors but I wasn’t worried, and most definitely didn’t think I was having a stroke.”

The next day Jon was still struggling with his left arm and his face remained dropped on one side, so he went to his GP, where Jon was rushed to hospital immediately.

Jon said: “My blood pressure was scarily high, and at hospital I was told I had had a stroke. When I found out, I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone outside of my family. I’d even go as far as saying I was embarrassed. I thought strokes only happened to older people, or those with bad health – not me, a personal trainer known by friends and family as ‘Mr Fitness’. I lived and preached fitness and healthy living every day. I couldn’t understand how my blood pressure could be so high without me knowing. I now know why they call it the silent killer. I remember feeling a mix of frustration and fear; I was most afraid that people who didn’t know me wouldn’t understand. I felt as though I’d be judged for having a stroke when I led such a healthy and active lifestyle. But I soon came to realise that strokes can happen to anyone, at any age. Thankfully my celebrity clients were all very understanding and supportive, whilst of course also very shocked. By telling more people about my stroke I feel I’m able to not only educate, but to raise awareness to others about this devastating condition.”

High blood pressure remains the single biggest risk factor for stroke, contributing to over half (54%) of strokes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because it doesn’t present symptoms and many people have no idea their health may be at risk.

Ruth Dunkin, fundraising manager at the Stroke Association, said: “With around 152,000 strokes a year in the UK – that’s around one every three and a half minutes - it is vital that we have people who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. We’re incredibly grateful to Jon and his team for taking on this challenge; the money will go a long way in helping to support people who are living with the effects of stroke, as well as their families and carers.”

To sponsor the team, please visit: www.justgiving.com/JonTrevorLifeAfterStroke or text 'SCOR64' to donate £1 to 70070.

Between 26 October and 01 November, the Stroke Association is calling on people to ‘Give a Hand’ to conquer stroke and raise vital funds for the charity. To find out more, visit www.stroke.org.uk/giveahand