Belmont’s Jayson Killick is living proof a stroke can happen to anyone.
The then-Portland resident was 36 when he suffered a near-deadly stroke behind the wheel six years ago.
“I thought I was young and fit, even though I was a heavy smoker,” he said, “a stroke was last thing on my mind.”
Jayson was working as cab driver when he noticed an “off feeling”. He dropped his passenger off before driving home.
“Last thing I remember is having blurred vision,” he said, “then I was waking up in Warrnambool ICU.”
The incident left Jayson with fatigue, short-term memory loss and restricted speech and movement.
But thanks a good rehabilitation (and giving up smoking) he emerged relatively unscathed.
Stroke doesn’t discriminate on age, gender or race, Jayson said.
“A lot of people still think that it only happens to older people. I’ve even met some stroke survivors who were three years old.
“It can strike at any time.”
However, exercise can help prevent stroke which is why Jayson is taking part in this year’s Stride4Stroke.
He will join hundreds of people from around the state who are walking to raise money for stroke research and survivors this month.
“I’m just doing half an hour a day and counting my steps walking around work,” he said.
“Last year I had something like 25km to do but I did that quite easily – as I did a half marathon. It ended up being 37km.”
“This year it’s unlimited.”
Jayson hopes to raise awareness of the signs of stroke, as well as staying fit.
He has trekked through in the You Yangs and around his suburb, working towards his target of $1000 in his third of Stride4Stroke.
“I’ve done around 9.7km which is quite small compared to what I usually do.”
His training partners, pet dogs Teddy and Buddy, are all too keen to help him get out of the house.
“They go berserk – they nearly rip the lead out of my hands,” he said
“They love their walks.”
Stroke Foundation’s Toni Aslet said almost half of all Victorians were not getting enough exercise, putting them at serious risk of stroke.
Mr Aslett said the Stride4stroke challenge was a great way to get fit while raising funds and awareness to combat stroke.
“There are more than 110,000 stroke survivors living in Victoria and every dollar raised makes a difference in how we can support them.”
