AHEAD of participating in an inaugural fund-raising run, a mother has shared the traumatic story of her six-year-old son suffering a stroke.

Marie Eke (43), of Bellingham, revealed she is currently battling post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and anorexia nervosa following the circumstances which led to her son Harrison collapsing in the playground at school.

She is helping families in similar situations to rebuild their lives after strokes by signing up to take part in the first Resolution Run, in aid of the Stroke Association, at Newcastle’s Exhibition Park on Sunday, February 23.

For Marie, she wanted to help do her bit after experiencing the horrors that went with Harrison’s ordeal in April 2018.

She said: “The whole experience has left me somewhat broken and I’m now battling PTSD, anxiety and anorexia nervosa.

“But Harrison has made a good recovery. He has ongoing cognitive issues and confuses his words or struggles to find them.

“He still has trouble writing with his right hand, but considering he came out of hospital in a wheelchair, he has made an amazing physical recovery.

“I am so proud of my brave boy and his strength will help me fight back to health myself. I’m joining the resolution and taking on the Resolution Run to raise awareness of childhood stroke and achieve something positive.”

Marie relived the moment she was phoned by the school to inform her that Harrison had fallen and hit his head.

She said: “As soon as I got to school to see him, I knew something was seriously wrong. By the time I’d rushed him to hospital, I knew in my heart it was a stroke.

“We were swiftly taken to the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle. Because stroke is so rare in children, doctors thought he’d had a seizure. I kept telling everyone I thought it was a stroke, but it wasn’t until 11 hours later when the on-call neurologist was consulted that they finally agreed and he was given aspirin.

“Harrison had all the signs of stroke; he had right side weakness, a droopy smile, and he couldn’t talk. I will never forget when I rushed to school and he looked at me and tried to cry but couldn’t.”

The Resolution Run can be ran or walked over either 1km or 5km.