A Dakabin man will exercise every day this month, completing 10 triathlons in honour of his much-loved mum who had a stroke in 2021.
Dan Pezet is taking on the epic challenge in honour of his mum Jenny, and the other members of his family who have been impacted by stroke.
“I have seen firsthand how devastating stroke can be. Mum now requires full time care, and dad is her primary carer, along with a team of support workers,” Dan said.
“The stroke not only physically impacted mum’s life, but it also took a toll mentally. Like everyone, she has good days and bad days. Fortunately, she is having more good days than bad days.
“Since mum’s stroke, I’ve learnt that one of the things you can do to reduce your risk of stroke is to stay active. That’s why I’ll be completing the equivalent of 10 Olympic distance triathlons throughout November.”
To achieve the goal, Dan will tackle each discipline one day at a time, cycling 40km, running 10km, and swimming 1500mm. He’s completing the challenge as part of Stroke Foundation’s major annual physical fundraiser, Stride4Stroke.
Participants are encouraged to set an activity goal to increase their daily ‘moving minutes’. They can choose any activity to complete within the month – from walking, running, swimming, cycling, or a goal in stroke rehabilitation.
Dan said his mum will be cheering him on from home.
“Mum has told me she is so proud of what I’m doing. The biggest personal lesson I have learned is, life is short. It can change so drastically, and so suddenly,” he said.
“After mums stroke my outlook of life completely shifted, I began focusing on what was truly important to me, like my family and my own health and wellbeing.”
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa Murphy commended Dan for taking on the triathlon challenge and urged all Australians to make their moved count this November.
“We know that 80 per cent of strokes are preventable and taking steps to adopt a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk,” Dr Murphy said.
“Stride4Stroke is a great starting point to make the changes that can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes which are all modifiable risk factors of stroke.”
Dan is hoping to raise $5,000 through his efforts which will help prevent stroke, fund research and support survivors and other families at all stages of the recovery journey.
