East Kilbride Man to Tackle Manchester Marathon in Memory of His Dad

“I’m doing it for him.”

Those are the words that will be ringing around Jordan Fletcher’s head as he tackles the Manchester Marathon on Sunday 14th April.

The M&E graduate admits he didn’t know much about strokes until his dad Duncan had one out of the blue in December 2022.

Jordan said: “We had no signs beforehand. He still worked and travelled. It just came out of the blue.

“We were lucky – I don’t know if lucky is the right word – in a way. My dad worked three weeks on and three weeks off. There was a lot of time where we’d not see him for three weeks or so. It was just by chance he was staying with me and my girlfriend at the time.

“We were watching the television after dinner just as normal. He fell asleep on the couch and was making funny noises and sleeping kind of funny. I woke him up to tell him to go to bed. When I woke him up it was as if he was drunk despite only having a glass of wine and I thought something wasn’t right. That’s when we phoned an ambulance.”

Despite getting through the initial stroke, Jordan was given the heart-breaking news that his dad wasn’t going to survive.

And it was in Hairmyres hospital he saw first-hand the impact the condition can have on people.

The 34-year-old said: “That’s the thing…he was responsive. We could communicate with him for two days after his stroke and he was still alert and still switched on. But his brain swelled because of the damage and he slipped into a coma prior to him passing.

“When he was in the ward at Hairmyres and you could see people that have had strokes. It varied from people in wheelchairs, some on crutches, some people were bedbound.

“Before all of this I didn’t know anything at all about strokes, how they happen and the effects of them. But because of my dad I do now, I feel closer to the cause and if I can help then I will.

“I’m doing it for him.”

Louise MacLeod, Community, Events and Corporate Fundraiser for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland said: “We wish Jordan the very best ahead of his very challenging fundraiser.

“His story is very powerful and a great example of the determination we see from hundreds of fundraisers every year.

“The money raised will help us to support the 1 in 5 people across the country who are living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid to live their lives to the full.”

You can show your support for Jordan’s fundraiser by visiting his JustGiving page.

If you’re living with the effects of chest, heart and stroke conditions or Long Covid and are looking for advice and information, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text NURSE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.