Former York City and Halifax Town footballer issues warning on Stroke Prevention Day

Later that day, the former York City and Halifax Town striker - then 43 - felt weakness in his right arm.

Again, he convinced himself it was nothing serious despite recognising it as one of the signs highlighted in Act FAST / Cam NESA campaigns regarding stroke awareness.

Williams said: "I’d been active all day. I thought the high reading was just because I’d been exercising. I didn’t follow it up – and that was my mistake."

Thankfully, his wife insisted that he sought help. Paramedics arrived quickly, and Marc was taken to hospital for urgent treatment after suffering a stroke.

Today is Stroke Prevention Day and Williams has stressed that his experience shows why stroke prevention and symptom awareness matter for everyone – regardless of age or fitness.

Williams continued: "High blood pressure doesn’t care who you are, And the FAST signs don’t always come all at once. If something feels wrong, you need to act."

The Stroke Association predict that the number of people having a first or second stroke to increase to more than 151,000 a year by 2035.

Currently, 280 people have a stroke every day in the UK, which is one person every five minutes.

Strokes destroy people’s lives and every day in the UK, it leaves around 240 survivors at risk of being unable to see, speak, move, or even swallow. It is also the fourth leading cause of death.

As the UK’s population ages, more people are living with long-term conditions which increase the risk of stroke. This includes high blood pressure, which is the cause of around half of all strokes.

In order to raise awareness, the Stroke Association are encouraging the public to help protect themselves against stroke by monitoring their blood pressure regularly and taking steps to keep it at a healthy level.

This includes eating a healthy diet, not smoking or vaping, getting regular exercise, and not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, with blood pressure checks able to be carried out by a GP, at a pharmacy, or at home with BP monitor kits costing around £20.

Nearly ten years on, Williams is preparing to run the 2026 London Marathon to raise funds for the Stroke Association and awareness that stroke can happen to anyone.

He continued: "Act FAST / Cam NESA saves lives.

"I wish I’d acted sooner. If sharing my story makes someone else stop and get their blood pressure checked, it’s worth it."

Juliet Bouverie OBE, CEO of the Stroke Association, said: "As the nation’s health declines, the risk of stroke rises.

"Already one in four people who have a stroke are of working age. Without preventative action, alongside improvements to stroke treatment, care and recovery, this will only get worse."