When Jim Flanagan felt ill while at work, he decided to walk home. Hours later he was in hospital where medics realised he had suffered a stoke.

Now, a little over a year since that traumatic episode, the 61-year-old is preparing to take part in the first Vitality WestRun London for the Stroke Association.

It takes place on November 15 and will see runners taking to the streets of Fulham and Chelsea.

In October last year Jim was at Royal Brompton Hospital, where he worked as a Healthcare Assistant, when he started feeling “odd.”

After making his way home to Fulham wife Kathy took Jim to Charing Cross Hospital were he was diagnosed. A month later he suffered a second stroke which caused further damage.

He was left unable to speak, read, could barely walk and had no feeling down his right-hand side.

Now, after a gruelling rehabilitation programme he will take part in the 10k’s race Family Fun Run Mile.

Joining him will be his sister Maggie Flanagan. She said: “Since the stroke, Jim’s determination has been a motivation for us all setting goals of his own to get back to the ‘old Jim’. My sister and I worked with him to re-learn how to read and build his confidence with speaking. One of his goals was to be able to walk more than just a few yards, so the Vitality WestRun 10k has become a way of recognising his progress.”

“Whilst I will be running the Vitality WestRun 10k, while Jim walks the Family Fun Run Mile alongside several other family members, it will be his equivalent of the Marathon. To prepare, we have once again been training together and although the distance is shorter, the effort and commitment for Jim has been just as hard as it was decades ago, if not harder.”

“I am really looking forward to taking part in the Vitality WestRun event as a family, and can’t wait to see Jim’s reaction when he completes his own challenge with the support and love of his family along the way. Thinking of how he is becoming a step closer to reaching his ultimate goal of getting back to being the ‘old Jim’ will spur me on during the race.”

To support Maggie and her brother and the Stroke Association, go to www.justgiving.com/maggie-flanagan

To be a part of Vitality WestRun London, go to www.westrunlondon.com