IMOGEN'S STORY
______________________
In May 2025, Imogen Pearce will be trekking across the Great Wall of China to raise funds for the Stroke Foundation. But while Imogen is part of the Marketing and Fundraising team at the Stroke Foundation, she's not taking part in this trek simply because of work.
"I'm doing this trip so I can help people like my dad," Imogen says.
Imogen and her dad, Mike, have always had a close relationship.
"Dad and I, we just get each other," she says.
But when Imogen was 16, her dad's life - and her own - changed forever.
A competitive dancer at the time, Imogen had just finished an exhausting three-hour dance rehearsal and was not looking forward to the stuffy bus ride home. So, when she saw her mum waiting for her outside the studio, she was glad she was getting a warm, comfortable ride home. But once she got in the car, she realised something was wrong.
"Mum said 'Something bad has happened", Imogen recalls. "Her voice was shaking and her eyes were watering. It felt like a rock was forming in my throat."
Lara, Imogen's mum, told her that Mike had experienced a stroke and was in hospital. At only 16, Imogen didn't even know what a stroke was, but she could tell it was serious. Imogen, her older sister Eveline, and her mum headed to the hospital to visit her dad.
"The hardest thing was walking into the ward and seeing my dad because he didn't look the same," Imogen says. "It's hard seeing someone strong be vulnerable. And I could see behind his eyes that he wasn't strong just then."
A doctor explained what had likely caused Mike's stroke. He had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), or a hole in his heart. This can allow a blood clot to travel through the heart to the brain and cause a stroke. On top of his PFO, Mike unknowingly had small vessels in his brain and was also very stressed at work. They believe the combination of all these factors caused his stroke.
Mike stayed in hospital for a week, recovering from his stroke and undergoing a procedure to correct his PFO. But life didn't go back to normal for the Pearce family once he was discharged.
Mike had been the main financial provider of their family, but his stroke meant he couldn't work for a period of time. Mike and Lara were suddenly under a lot of pressure and worried about what they were going to do next. Imogen recalls the support from family and friends being crucial during this time. Mike also had the support of staff from the Stroke Foundation, who helped him greatly with his recovery and to safely return to work.
Four years after her dad's stroke, Imogen saw an opportunity to work at the Stroke Foundation. Her personal connection to stroke made her want to be part of the team.
"I felt like if I worked here, I could help my dad," she explains.
Imogen has found learning more about stroke has helped her better understand everything her family went through. She uses the knowledge she gains at work to have open discussions with her dad about his stroke, and to keep him updated with the latest research on stroke prevention.
"Working here has been really helpful, because now I've been able to understand what it was like for him," she says.
Alongside her newfound perspective on her dad's journey, Imogen is making a difference for other stroke survivors and their whānau every day at work. And now, she's preparing to take things a step further by taking part in the upcoming Great Wall of China trek. Throughout the trek, Imogen and the other adventurers will walk alongside ancient pathways, scale historic watchtowers and soak up the breathtaking mountain views - all while raising funds to support critical stroke services in New Zealand.
"It's going to be a great trip, but it's also going to be hard," Imogen says. "Throughout it, I'll be thinking about the funds I'll be raising for the Stroke Foundation and how they can help people like my dad."
If you want to join Imogen, saving lives while on the trip of a lifetime, you can find out more about the Great Wall of China trek here: https://inspiredadventures.com.au/event/strokenz-china-2025/
Resources for rangatahi and tamariki who parent or loved one has had a stroke, can be found here: https://www.familyandstroke.org.nz/