Amanda Paget

I’m taking on the challenge of Stride4Stroke and raising funds for Stroke Foundation!

Hi, I’m Amanda, and this September I’m taking on Stride4Stroke to raise funds for the Stroke Foundation and help create a future with fewer strokes.

This cause became very personal to me on 24 October 2025. At 35 years old, completely unexpectedly, I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm which caused a subarachnoid haemorrhage and bleeding into my brain. I underwent emergency brain surgery and was incredibly lucky to survive.

But surviving a stroke and recovering from one are two very different things.

The past year has shown me just how much of stroke recovery happens behind the scenes. I’ve had to learn to live with changes to my memory, thinking and mental stamina, and with the frustration of things that were once automatic now requiring so much more effort. I’m still finding my way back to myself.

Almost 47,000 Australians will experience a stroke this year - one every 11 minutes. Stroke can happen suddenly, and it can happen to people of any age. I never imagined at 35 that I would become one of those people.

That’s why I’m doing Stride4Stroke.

This year, every $11 raised represents one stroke expected in Australia, and I want to make as much of an impact as I can.

Funds raised for the Stroke Foundation help prevent stroke through education and awareness, support people and families when stroke happens, and help survivors recover and rebuild their lives.

Every kilometre I complete this September is a reminder of how far I’ve come, but also of how much recovery can continue long after someone leaves hospital.

If you’d like to support my Stride4Stroke, whether by donating, sharing my page or simply following along, I’d be incredibly grateful.

Together, we can help change the story of stroke. 💙