Ismail Proves Nothing Can Stop Him at he Takes on Leeds 10K

In 2008, Ismail had a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA). For some people, a TIA can be a warning sign that a stroke might be around the corner, this isn't always the case but for Ismail it was.

A year after his TIA, Ismail was in a coma and on life support. He'd had a hemorrhagic stroke, caused by a rupture of abnormal blood vessels in his brain. The medical team told his family that there was nothing more that they could do and were going to switch off his life support. His sister argued with this, convinced them not to and that same day Ismail woke up.

A week later, Ismail was told that he would most likely never walk or talk again. Three months later he started walking with a walking stick, eight months later he was back in the gym. Ismail says 

"I still suffer with left-sided weakness. I have epilepsy, and ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease). I have a neurogenic bladder,' which means it's impaired because of the way in which Ismail's stroke damaged his brain."

There are still things Ismail will have to deal with for the rest of his life but as of today he has run 36 10K races, a half marathon and the GNR.