A FAMILY are continuing to raise funds for a man who lost part of his skull after suffering a massive stroke.

Geoff Smith, 49, of South Woodham Ferrers, suffered the haemorrhagic stroke last March.

He needed life-saving surgery to remove part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.

Following a craniectomy at Queen’s Hospital, in Romford, wife Jo, 48, set up a fund for supporters to help with his recovery.

The family have since raised enough to fund Geoff’s neurologically-trained personal trainer and speech and language therapist for the past year.

Jo said: “Sadly I had to give up my job as a full-time family support worker.

“My commitment is to Geoff’s recovery as it always has been throughout, and I will be right by his side for however long he needs me.

“We will still continue our fundraising mission in the hope that we can offer him all the above-mentioned therapies and secure additional speech and language sessions as currently he only has one a week which is not enough for his needs.

“Recovery knows no bounds and so by fundraising for Geoff, we will ensure he has access to everything he needs for the length of time he needs it which will definitely be long term.”

The family are hosting a dinner dance on April 3 at Wickford’s Lodge Country Inn.

Jo added: “This year is such an important year for Geoff as the plasticity of his brain will be at its optimum, so he has to work extremely hard to relearn and regain function from his major deficits.

“So far he is doing this, but blips do set you back and sometimes it feels like you take three giant steps forward and then another five giant ones back.

“We are a very strong family, but I can 100 per cent see how families are ripped apart by the devastating effects of stroke.

“Each and every one of us have had to deal with our own separate issues in all of this and you do not always have the strength to give anything other than what you give to Geoff.

“The children have been absolutely remarkable throughout and we have used each other to survive and adapt into a new ‘normal’. I am so very proud of them all.

“We are not quite there yet, but I am confident that it won’t be long before our ‘old normal’ is a distant memory and we are able to celebrate our new life in a positive way.”

The Geoff’s Journey Dinner Dance will run from 7pm to midnight and will include a two-course meal and entertainment.

Tickets cost £50 and can be bought online at bit.ly/GeoffsDinnerDance.