Well, I would walk…

One of the standout moments of last year’s Charity Walk was the amazing feat of Rachel Trudgian and her daughter Millie in completing the one-mile walk… just months after Rachel had experienced a massive stroke and Millie had been seriously injured in a motorbike accident in Sri Lanka.

As the two waited on the starting line, they even showed off their impressive dancing skills by busting some great synchronised moves for our video camera!

Now, with just a few months to go before the 2025 edition of the Walk, Rachel has been exercising relentlessly in an effort to, not only regain her formidable former levels of fitness… but to undertake the whole six miles of the longest route.

Inspirational stuff… especially as she is still experiencing many of the symptoms of stroke and has only recently been able to resume her former role as Operations Manager for a data cabling company.

How it all began

So, when did her stroke journey begin?

“It was in March of 2024, and at that point I would describe myself as being very fit. I was running half marathons, playing netball to quite a high level, exercising every day with yoga, weights and high impact exercises. I was eating very healthily too.

“For my age – I was 58 then – I was doing all the right things. But then I got the news about my daughter’s accident… she was almost killed and nearly lost her leg. That was the most terrible time of my life. I didn't know what to do with myself.

“Three days afterwards I had an Ischemic stroke. The doctors found I had a hole in my heart which caused the stroke, but not what caused the actual blood clot… I think the stress of Millie’s accident contributed greatly though."

The early prognosis, says Rachel, was not great. “I was completely paralysed on my left side. I couldn't walk at all. I spent two months in hospital and by the time I got home, I was just about able to use a Zimmer frame to get to the toilet,.

"I’ve had fantastic support from Care Workers, Occupational Therapists and Physio’s, but many were trying to teach me to do things without using my arm and leg because they didn’t think I’d be able to do certain things.

“I’m not an expert on strokes, but I didn't want to accept that approach. I have become pretty much obsessed with doing exercise and recovering the use of my arm, hand and leg.

"I'm not sure that everyone would want to be like that, but my recovery from then until now has been a full-time job. I do eight hours of exercising every day."

Finding the positives

“The experience I had in hospital was very traumatic, but the support I’ve had since has been brilliant. From my care providers, my friends, my children and Bristol After Stroke.”

“Every tiny improvement I’ve had like being able to move a toe or getting a little bit more feeling back in my arm or leg… I’ve thought ‘that's a positive’. Just tiny little things. The first movement I gained was being able to move a tiny muscle in my knee This gave me a bit of hope that I’d get the movement back in my leg.

“The message I’d give to people is ‘don't let other people put limitations on your recovery’. I haven't had my leg or arm chopped off. I've not got a spinal injury. I have two good arms and two good legs. My brain just needs to learn how to work my left arm and left leg... 

"I would say that neuroplasticity is an amazing thing but it's not a magic wand. You have to work hard to teach your brain to send the right signals to your limbs and fingers.

“There are so many more aids and tools to help you recover that weren’t there years ago… which is wonderful.

“And I’m learning to have patience, repeating exercises time and again and formally recognising the miniscule gains that I am making… this time last year, I could hardly move my arm, and now I can… so something's happening.”

Eventually, Rachel was able to start walking - but as she says, progress was only very gradual. “First it was walking as far as the next house… and then to the house after that.

“It probably took me about a month to get to the end of my road.”

The next “leg” of Rachel’s recovery

By September2024, Rachel had regained enough fitness to walk the “accessible mile” around Eastville Park together with Millie – who herself still has a way to go on regaining her full movement. They also took the opportunity to raise money for Bristol After Stroke who have helped Rachel on her recovery journey… a staggering £3,808.

Now she is in training to walk the full six miles. “I’ve already gone as far as that in training, so I’ve set myself that challenge. My next challenge will be to attempt the distance with no stick!”

"Taking part in the walk last year was inspiring, says Rachel. "People who were in the similar situations to me, all joining together to challenge themselves, really spurred me on with my recovery. 

"This year I just want to be part of something that has such a positive atmosphere!”

You can find out more about this year's walk, sign up and get your sponsorship underway by:
clicking here!