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Ex-MP Ashworth's Stroke: A Health Wake-Up Call
2 Mar
Summary
- Former Labour MP Jon Ashworth suffered a major stroke on New Year's Day.
- High blood pressure, previously undetected, caused the stroke.
- Ashworth urges public to attend free health checks after his experience.
Former Labour MP Jon Ashworth disclosed that he experienced a significant stroke on New Year's Day of the previous year, resulting from a blood clot and high blood pressure. The 47-year-old politician, who lost his Leicester South seat in the recent general election, described the event as unexpected, particularly as he maintained a healthy lifestyle and had never smoked.
Ashworth recounted that he had previously postponed free GP health check-ups due to a busy schedule. This experience has led him to strongly encourage others to attend their appointments and monitor their blood pressure vigilantly. He is currently undergoing physical rehabilitation and hopes to participate in a half marathon later in the year.
The Stroke Association has issued a warning that by 2035, strokes in the UK will occur every three and a half minutes, up from the current rate of one every five minutes. The charity is advocating for immediate action to address contributing factors like diet and stress. Ashworth supports expanding blood pressure checks and improving access to thrombectomy procedures across all stroke sites.
