A NEWTON Mearns man who had two strokes at the age of 31 has been honoured by his Renfrew work colleagues.
The first stroke hit accountant Michael Macdonald out of the blue in March 2023 when he suddenly had no feeling in his legs or right arm and his speech and vision had gone.
Emergency surgery removed a clot from his brain, and doctors at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital told him the stroke had been caused by an endocarditis infection that had attacked his heart.
While he was still in the stroke rehab ward, Michael had a second stroke, this time caused by an aneurysm. Emergency surgery followed again and he has since had to have heart surgery to fix a faulty valve.
The finance team from engineering giants Howden in Renfrew joined forces with colleagues across the globe to take part in the STEPtember walking challenge in support of Michael.
Their incredible efforts have raised £28,327.42 for Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), the charity that has been helping Michael in his recovery.
He said: “It’s been a very long road to recovery and I’m not there yet. But I have had great support from Tim at CHSS. He had a stroke young like me, so I could really relate to what he told me about recovery.
“Work has been so supportive and understanding of me all through this last year. My boss Amy and my team have made me still feel part of everything. What they have done has been amazing, to raise this amount of money is incredible. I feel very proud of them.”
Amy Wood at Howden has been the driving force behind the phenomenal fundraising effort.
She said: “I am so proud of our incredible team for their involvement in this initiative. It was fun to do, and together we managed to raise a substantial amount for various charities.
“The news of Michael's stroke came as a huge shock to us all, and we have been very relieved to see his recovery progress over the past few months. Seeing his steps contributing to our weekly totals was a great motivation, and we are grateful to have been able to raise these funds through contributions from family and friends, as well as a very generous donation from our employer.
“We hope these contributions will support the invaluable services provided by CHSS.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here