A Harrogate fitness instructor is turning a life-changing medical emergency into a powerful force for good, raising thousands to help others affected by stroke.
Caroline Brady was just 37 when she suffered an ischemic stroke in January 2020 - something she says completely changed her perspective and sparked a passion for raising awareness.
She was treated quickly and underwent a thrombectomy, a specialist procedure that removes a blood clot from the brain.
Thanks to that intervention, Caroline was fortunate to avoid long-term disability.
Since then, she has made it her mission to support the Stroke Association - raising both funds and awareness that strokes can affect people of any age.
And she is particularly keen to highlight that stroke symptoms aren’t always as clear-cut as people might think.
She told Your Harrogate:
“The whole process for me probably lasted around four hours. It wasn’t all the symptoms at once - it was on and off.”
At the time, she was teaching a fitness class at David Lloyd in Harrogate when she noticed her speech becoming slurred.
However, the signs weren’t immediately obvious to those around her.
It was only when a colleague asked her to repeat what she’d had for breakfast - and she struggled to say the word “spinach” - that alarm bells rang.
Her colleague quickly called paramedics, a decision that Caroline credits with getting her the urgent care she needed.
Despite the seriousness of her stroke, Caroline considers herself incredibly lucky.
She has regained her ability to walk, talk and maintain her memory, although she remains on lifelong anticoagulant medication and has had to adapt her exercise routine.
“I can’t do heavy weight training anymore,” she said. “But you can’t really be upset about that when I can walk and talk.”
While the physical recovery was relatively swift, Caroline admits rebuilding her confidence took much longer.
“It took me about four years to get back into teaching fitness classes,” she said. “It was more the confidence and self-belief than the physical side effects.”
Just ten months after her stroke, Caroline organised her first fundraiser for World Stroke Day - an ambitious 12-hour cycling challenge at David Lloyd Harrogate.
Despite Covid restrictions and limited footfall, the event was a huge success, with gym members booking socially distanced slots throughout the day.
“It surprised me how much we raised,” she said. “People really supported it, even during such a difficult time.”
Since then, her fundraising efforts have grown year on year, including multiple events and now an annual ladies’ lunch.
Caroline’s popular Ladies’ Lunch is back for a fourth year, taking place on Saturday 9th May at West Park Hotel.
The event promises an afternoon of entertainment, including close-up magic, a selfie photo booth, food and drink, plus a raffle and fundraising games.
Tickets are still available, with Caroline hoping to welcome between 90 and 100 guests.
“I’d love to push for 100,” she said.
She’s also calling on local businesses to get involved - either through sponsorship or prize donations - to help maximise the amount raised.
After raising more than £3,400 last year, Caroline is setting her sights on an even bigger total in 2026.
“My aim would probably be about £5,000 if I could,” she said.
And she has no plans to stop there, with more fundraising ideas already in the pipeline - including a potential challenge linked to the 240 people who suffer a stroke every day in the UK.
For Caroline, the motivation is simple: making sure others understand the risks - and the importance of acting fast.
“It’s become a really important thing for me to do,” she said.
Find out more about Stroke Awareness Month online here.
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