A woman who was off work for almost a year recovering from a stroke is to tackle a 25km hike. Jo Harper, 56, from Ringmer was taken ill in July 2021. As well as fatigue, the stroke left her with memory and eyesight problems and speech difficulties.
Jo, head of business planning and development for Lewes and Eastbourne councils, said: “I was a healthy, energetic 53-year-old. I was working full time, my youngest child had just gone off to uni, I was singing in choirs, doing lots of walking and regular Pilates. “I think my stroke happened during the night.
My husband David had been sleeping, but then got up. He looked at me and saw my face was floppy on one side. He made a call to 111 and they diagnosed a possible stroke.
“I was off work for nearly a year and then had a further year of very gradual increase in hours as I regained my endurance levels. My main issues were cognitive and also chronic fatigue – I had two years where I still needed a sleep in the middle of the day to get by.” Back on track: Jo had feared she would never again be able to enjoy country walks after her stroke (Image: Stroke) On Sunday, Jo and three friends, Di Talbot, Vix Marchant and Sheila Harris, will be trekking through the North Downs, which stretch from Surrey into Kent.
The women will be raising funds for the Stroke Association and have already collected more than £1,000 through their JustGiving page. The charity helps people to rebuild their lives after stroke and supported Jo as she b.