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 On 2nd March 2026, at just 37 years old, Matt suffered a huge stroke that changed our lives overnight.
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 Within three days, he underwent two major brain surgeries. The swelling on his brain became so severe that part of his skull had to be removed to relieve the pressure. He spent 10 days in Neuro Critical Care, a large portion of which was spent on a ventilator, and has since undergone another major operation to replace the part of his skull that was removed — what we desperately hope will be his final brain surgery.
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 Matt is improving every day, but his neurologists have explained that he will be left with some lasting brain damage. The stroke has significantly affected the left side of his body, including his arm, leg and vision.
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 He is learning to walk again and can now manage some steps, although we don't yet know how much movement he will regain. Sadly, we've been told it is highly unlikely he will be able to use his left hand and fingers again.
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 Anyone who knows Matt knows how fiercely independent and determined he is, and he's working incredibly hard at his rehabilitation to regain as much of his independence and physical ability as his body will allow.
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 <strong>Why we're fundraising ❤️</strong>
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 Our daughter, Delilah, turned one in April — just a month after Matt's stroke.
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 Matt has missed her first birthday, her first steps and many of the ordinary parts of being a dad that we once took for granted. After months in hospitals and specialist rehabilitation, he's only been able to come home a couple of times.
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 We desperately want to start doing normal things together again, but even simple family outings can be difficult. Delilah still needs her pushchair and, due to the physical effects of Matt's stroke and the severe fatigue he experiences, he still needs a wheelchair when he's unable to walk.
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 Let's just say I've become very good at multitasking… but pushing a pram and a wheelchair at the same time is a skill I have not yet mastered...
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 Matt can use a manual wheelchair in some situations, but for longer distances and getting out and about, he needs someone else to push him. A lightweight, foldable electric wheelchair would mean he isn't always reliant on another person — whether we're out together as a family, visiting people, or he simply wants to go out with friends without me having to be there.
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 It would also fold down to fit in the car, meaning we could easily take it with us for family days out and everyday trips.
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 The chair we're hoping to get for Matt costs around £2,500.
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 Unfortunately, Matt doesn't qualify for the type of lightweight power chair we need through the NHS. With Matt now receiving SSP (Statutory Sick Pay) and our household essentially relying on one full salary, finding an extra £2,500 simply isn't realistic for us at the moment.
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 <strong>Matt's challenge ❤️</strong>
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 Matt doesn't just want to ask people to donate — he wants to help raise the money himself.
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 As part of his rehabilitation he's learning to walk again, and he's decided to take on a **mixture of walking and cycling** to raise money towards his wheelchair.
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 Exactly how much he'll take on needs to be agreed with his physio team to make sure it's right for his recovery —<strong> but watch this space!</strong>
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 We'll be sharing his progress along the way.
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 <strong>And finally, thank you ❤️</strong>
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 We honestly can't put into words how grateful we are for the support we've received since Matt's stroke. Our family, friends and so many people around us have rallied around us in ways we never could have expected.
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 It's been incredibly heartwarming to hear that even friends of friends now regularly ask how Matt is doing and how his recovery is going. What happened was so sudden and devastating, particularly at just 37 years old, and the amount of love and support people have shown Matt — and all three of us — has been overwhelming.
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 From messages and hospital visits, to childcare, lifts, meals, checking in on us, buying Matt burgers (arguably one of the most important jobs!), and simply being there when we've needed someone — people have already done so much for our family, and we will never forget it.
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 That's also why asking for more help doesn't come particularly easily. We know how much people have already done for us, and we don't take any of it for granted.
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 If anyone would like to donate towards Matt's wheelchair, we would be so incredibly grateful, no matter how much. And if you can't donate, even just sharing this page so it reaches as many people as possible would be amazing.
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 Thank you for being behind us through all of this. Now let's get Matt his wheels! ❤️
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Olivia Atkin

Lewis Anderson

Chloe Davey

David Burnett

mr a Mahoney

Mark Atkin

Andrew Gillott

Sahan Djemal

Gayle Bashford

James Shaw

Steve Robinson

Anonymous

Claudia Anzani

alex hindle

lyndon allott

Andrew Ng

Jill Oxborrow

Victoria Cooper

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Deborah Abson

Help Matt Get His Independence Back ❤️

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