A woman who was off work for almost a year recovering from a stroke is to tackle a 25km hike.

Jo Harper, 56, from Ringmer was taken ill in July 2021.

As well as fatigue, the stroke left her with memory and eyesight problems and speech difficulties.

Jo, head of business planning and development for Lewes and Eastbourne councils, said: “I was a healthy, energetic 53-year-old. I was working full time, my youngest child had just gone off to uni, I was singing in choirs, doing lots of walking and regular Pilates.

“I think my stroke happened during the night. My husband David had been sleeping, but then got up.  He looked at me and saw my face was floppy on one side.  He made a call to 111 and they diagnosed a possible stroke.

“I was off work for nearly a year and then had a further year of very gradual increase in hours as I regained my endurance levels.  My main issues were cognitive and also chronic fatigue – I had two years where I still needed a sleep in the middle of the day to get by.”

Back on track: Jo had feared she would never again be able to enjoy country walks after her stroke.Back on track: Jo had feared she would never again be able to enjoy country walks after her stroke (Image: Stroke)

On Sunday, Jo and three friends, Di Talbot, Vix Marchant and Sheila Harris, will be trekking through the North Downs, which stretch from Surrey into Kent.

The women will be raising funds for the Stroke Association and have already collected more than £1,000 through their JustGiving page.

The charity helps people to rebuild their lives after stroke and supported Jo as she battled chronic fatigue. She said the charity’s services helped her “feel less alone and really encouraged".

For more information about stroke and the support services visit www.stroke.org.uk or call the Stroke Support Helpline on 0303 3033 100.

Nick O’Donohue, the Stroke Association’s associate director for the South East, said: “We’re delighted that we were able to make such a difference to Jo’s recovery and we’re hugely grateful to Jo and her friends for raising funds for our charity.

“Surviving a stroke is just the start of a long and gruelling recovery journey. We support stroke survivors and their families to find the strength and determination they need to find their way back to life."