Local survivor to run Boston Marathon® less than two years after her stroke

Newby Family, L-R; Brent, Tommy, Tessa & Kim

Next month, Tedy’s Team rookie, Kim Newby, will be running her first Boston Marathon® as a stroke survivor.

In November of 2022, just three days before Thanksgiving, Kim suffered two ischemic strokes at the same time.

While at home in the shower, she suddenly became dizzy and lost her balance to the point where she was unable to walk. Kim crawled out of the shower and called for her husband. As she was asking him to call 9-1-1, it became increasingly difficult for her to think straight and speak.

By the time Kim arrived at the hospital, her symptoms had gotten worse. She had blurred vision, was unable to speak, numbness in her face, and had lost control of her arms and legs. After it was confirmed that she was having a stroke, Kim received the clot dissolving drug, tPA and was med flighted to another hospital.

Unfortunately, the tPA did not relieve her symptoms and she had to undergo a minimally invasive surgical procedure, known as an endovascular thrombectomy, to physically remove the clots in her brain. After a successful procedure, Kim made a full recovery and walked out of the hospital three days later.

“My doctors saved my life,” Kim said. “They could not believe that I had no physical or mental impairments after what I had gone through.”

After her stroke, Kim learned that it was caused by a hole in her heart, known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which she had a procedure to close a month later.

“The day I had my stroke changed me. Walking away from my stroke with no disabilities has made me want to live and love more,” explained Kim. “Running the Boston Marathon has always been a dream of mine, and running it with Tedy’s Team will give me a chance to change someone else’s life for the better.”

On Monday, April 15^th, Kim will be tackling the 128^th Boston Marathon with her fellow teammates to raise life-saving funds and awareness of stroke and heart disease. To support Kim’s fundraising and awareness efforts, please visit her personal team member page and learn the warning signs of stroke, which are best remembered by using the acronym BE FAST, which stands for:

• Balance Difficulties
• Eyesight Changes
• Face Drooping
• Arm Weakness
• Speech Difficulties – and if you notice any of those warning signs, it’s…
• TIME TO CALL 9-1-1.

BE FAST is an acronym to help you quickly recognize common signs of a stroke and to take any necessary action by calling for emergency medical services. Other symptoms may include sudden and severe unexplained headache or migraine with no obvious cause, and confusion or trouble understanding things they would normally know.

“As a survivor myself, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to be alive and well,” said Kim. “My hope is to pay it forward by raising awareness that stroke can happen to young people, and to help other survivors in their own comeback journey.”