Tomorrow, stroke survivor Aaron Davies, 31, from Aberdare, will attempt to climb Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales, to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association and Let’s Talk Men’s Mental Health.

Aaron was just 28 when he had a life-altering stroke on Christmas Day 2021. Alone and unaware of what was happening, Aaron wasn’t found until two days later.

“Nobody knew I had a stroke,” he recalled. “I don’t remember anything until about a week after. My first thought was, ‘Is this a really bad hangover?’ I thought, ‘I can’t wait to go out for New Year’s Eve and party’ but it had already passed. I felt incredibly dizzy, like I was constantly on the waltzers.”

Aaron doesn’t shy away from talking about the root cause of his stroke. “I used to be a big alcoholic. I became a full-blown alcoholic when I was about 23 or 24,” he said. When paramedics finally arrived, they were stunned he was still alive. “The ambulance crew were surprised I was even still alive when they arrived.”

Aaron’s stroke left him with fatigue, incontinence, speech and memory problems, sensory changes, and mobility issues. “Physically I’m slower, emotionally I’m incredibly frustrated but mentally I’m better than ever,” he said. “I’ve worked hard. If you’d seen where I was and see me now, it’s mad. My speech has come on massively.”

One of the biggest changes for Aaron has been discovering the power of peer support. “Attending the Stroke Support Group helped me understand how stroke affects different people,” he said. “It also helped me realise how serious my own stroke was.”

He attends multiple stroke groups, “I go every fortnight to the stroke group and every first Monday of the month to the neurological group. The more groups, the better,” he said. “Otherwise, I’m like mashed potato locked in my room.”

Aaron finds it especially valuable to support others who are going through their own stroke or mental health challenges. “Before my stroke, my mental health was in bits,” he said. “I know how it feels to hit rock bottom.”

One of the key spaces that has helped Aaron rebuild is the local Men’s Group in Aberdare, which meets every Thursday from 6pm to 8pm at Aberdare Fire Station. The format is simple: peer support in a relaxed, open setting.

“There are no set questions, no pressure to take turns, and no expectation to speak,” Aaron explained. “We let the conversation flow naturally, usually starting with something gentle like ‘How’s everyone’s week been?’”

The group operates on three powerful principles: No Pressure. No Judgement. No Stigma.

Aaron describes the men in the group as his closest allies in recovery. “They’re the ones I trust. Before my stroke, all of my friends were drinkers and they’re not around anymore. Now, the people in the group are what I call my friends. They are there for me. They support me and I trust them. I don’t know what I would have done without them. And now I want to give back. That’s why I go, I want to be there for others who are going through it.”

Now, nearly three years on from his stroke, Aaron has set himself the challenge of climbing Pen y Fan, not only as a personal milestone but also to raise money and awareness for the Stroke Association and Let’s Talk Men’s Mental Health.

“This climb is about more than me. It’s about showing others that no matter how dark it gets, you can find a way forward. Stroke and mental health can happen to anyone and we need to talk about it, support each other, and make sure nobody feels alone.”

Katie Chappelle, Associate Director for Wales, Stroke Association said: “We want to say a huge thank you to Aaron. We’re all cheering him on as he takes on this amazing challenge for the Stroke Association.

“Over 7,000 people survive a stroke every year in Wales, but surviving a stroke is just the start of a long and gruelling recovery journey. Mums, dads, grandparents, young people, even children – anyone can have a stroke, and its impact is traumatic.”

To find out more and to sponsor Aaron, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/aaron-davies-whatstroke1