A woman who suffered a stroke when she was on holiday, at the age of just 17 and almost did not survive, is now going from strength to strength.
Lauren Schofield, 19, an apprentice estate agent with Pendle Hill Properties, suffered a stroke caused by a heart condition she never knew she had while on holiday in Mojacar, Spain.
She was initially taken to hospital near the town of Vera before being taken by air ambulance to Torrecardenas University Hospital near Almeria, 50 miles away.
Despite her family being informed her survival chances were low, Lauren, from Waddington, was put on a life-support machine where she built up enough strength to continue her rehabilitation in the UK.
In July 2023, she underwent major heart surgery which allowed her to continue her road to recovery and, just over a year on, she has her sights set on her next challenge – the London Marathon in April 2025.
Lauren, now 19, said: “I am proudly running the London Marathon on behalf of the British Heart Foundation. As someone who has had heart surgery themselves, I know how much they help people who are currently living with a heart condition or to help people discover any underlying conditions through their ongoing research.
“The British Heart Foundation has helped halve the number of people dying from heart and circulatory disease in the UK but sadly every day hundreds of people lose their lives. It’s only thanks to support from people like us that they can create new treatments and discover new cures.”
Andrew Turner, managing director of Pendle Hill Properties, said: “We are all very proud of Lauren here at Pendle Hill Properties and the full team will be supporting her all the way. She is training hard and any donations she receives will be hugely appreciated.
Lauren, who went to Bowland High School before joining Pendle Hill Properties, is also a talented musician who has appeared on The Voice Kids as well as performances at Beat-Herder festival, on BBC Music Introducing, and at CarFest.
To donate to Lauren’s fundraising efforts, visit the JustGiving website and search for ‘Lauren Schofield.’
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