Back in the saddle for stroke rehabilitation research

Life-cycle 
18 Jul 2013 14:30:29.700

PA 240/13

A team of high profile figures from The University of Nottingham are taking on the challenge to cycle between each of the capital cities of the UK and the Republic of Ireland in aid of stroke rehabilitation research.

The Life Cycle 3 route is more than 1,100 miles and takes in Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Cardiff and London between Monday 19 August and Sunday 1 September. It starts at Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus and finishes at University Park.

Around 130,000 people in the UK suffer a stroke each year and it is the most common cause of death after cancer and heart disease. The team aims to raise £300,000 to support stroke survivors after they leave hospital in order to stop them becoming isolated or housebound, and to help overcome both short and long term problems associated with recovery.

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Stroke rehabilitation research

Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, is getting back in the saddle for the third consecutive year. He said: “Stroke rehabilitation research is not glamorous, laboratory-based research, but is patient based, often qualitative, and can be more complex because of its reliance on therapists. However, as a reason for undertaking Life Cycle 3 it is deeply motivating – improving the wellbeing and quality of life of stroke survivors through rehabilitation is a growing challenge.

“This year our journey will take us to the five capitals of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, including some major cities along the way. We will face some demanding terrain over the 1,100 miles but starting and ending in Nottingham will be a big thrill, especially finishing on the Community Day on Sunday 1 September.”

The effects of stroke

Professor Marion Walker specialises in stroke rehabilitation research and that’s why she is taking part in Life Cycle for the first time. She said: “Stroke rehabilitation research is my lifelong passion. Stroke not only affects individuals in a cruel and often devastating way but has a significant impact on the lives of their carers and friends.

“I have been working in this area for the whole of my career and have seen the positive impact our research can make on an individual’s life. It is fabulous to know that our work is helping shape the services and treatments that stroke survivors and their families receive. This is why I am prepared to get on a bike again… for the first time in 40 years!”

Last year’s Life Cycle raised over £258,000 for Nottingham Potential, which supports young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in reaching their academic potential. The first Life Cycle in 2011 raised £232,000 for the University’s Sue Ryder Care Centre for research into supportive, palliative and end of life care.

More than £150,000 has already been raised for Life Cycle 3 via donations, including from patients and carers, companies, and local businesses.

To find out more about Life Cycle 3, the community events on Sunday 1 September, and stroke rehabilitation research at the University, visit http://nott.ac.uk/cycle.

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Notes to editors: The University of Nottinghamhas 42,000 students at award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It was ‘one of the first to embrace a truly international approach to higher education’, according to the Sunday Times University Guide 2013. It is also one of the most popular universities among graduate employers, one of the world’s greenest universities, and winner of the Times Higher Education Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong and the QS World Rankings.

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. The University aims to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health. The University won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for its research into global food security.

Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest ever fundraising campaign, will deliver the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…

Story credits

More information is available from Fraser Wilson, Communications Officer at The University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 846 6691, fraser.wilson@nottingham.ac.uk.

 

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