A Denny woman is carrying out a charity run in honour of her mum.
Ilze Slisane, who is running the equivalent of the 800-plus road miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats, has so far raised £110 of a £250 target for the Stroke Association in Scotland.
A cleaning staff supervisor at the M&G offices in Craigforth, Ilze came up with the idea after her mum Albina back in Latvia suffered a stroke last year.
The 35-year-old said: “The stroke was unexpected as my mum has always been healthy.
“At the time of her stroke, she had all the common stroke symptoms – her mouth drooped, she couldn’t talk properly and struggled to walk because she was unable to balance.
“She was also unable to properly eat or drink – the stroke had affected her swallowing reflux”.
Albina, who lives outside the Latvian capital Riga, spent three weeks in hospital before recovering at home.
Ilze, who has lived in Scotland for 10 years, added: “It was sad to see mum that way. And because she’s in Latvia I was unable to travel to see her during the pandemic, so we communicated with video calls.
“I can’t wait to hug her as soon as I’m able to fly to Latvia safely.
“I can’t describe the feeling, but knowing I am doing it for her, will keep me going until I cross the finish line”.
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Ilze started running in the streets on May 9, which is Mother’s Day in Latvia, and is currently doing on average five miles per day in her bid to complete the distance.
She added: “I’m glad to be raising funds for a charity who can help more people rebuild their lives after stroke. Recovery is possible. It takes a lot of specialist support, but also a whole lot of grit and determination like my mum, who wouldn’t have made the recovery she did without it.”
