“As many of you know, my partner Gavin had a couple of strokes 7 years ago. His life changed forever in the space of 24 hours. Different Strokes changed things again. His fellow survivors picked him up, supported him, understood him and helped him reclaim his life. Without Different Strokes, he would not be the person he is today. Until recently, Gavin was chair of Different Strokes, working to ensure the charity was there for all younger stroke survivors, wherever they may be in the UK. My challenge is nothing compared to what these amazing survivors put themselves through everyday to make sure their stroke doesn’t beat them.

I’ve always wanted to go to the Himalayas and trekking to Everest Base Camp is going to require a monster effort! 17,500 feet, half the amount of oxygen in the air, temperatures down to -15 … and I’m excited beyond belief! I leave on 17th March 2018 and get back almost 3 weeks later. I’m also funding this whole trip myself so that every single penny you donate goes to Different Strokes. Please support me by following my journey and keeping in touch. And more importantly, please support younger stroke survivors by hitting the “Give now” button. I’ve set a target of £5364 as this is the height in metres of Everest Base Camp. However, I’m more than happy to aim for £17,598 – it’s height in feet – if you’re feeling generous!

The more people that know about Different Strokes, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot!”

A HUGE thank you to Helen for being such a brave and inspiring person and for undertaking such a mammoth challenge all in aid of younger stroke survivors. We will be behind you all the way
(metaphorically 🙂 )