A couple who suffered devastating loss and illness have been working to raise awareness of strokes and brain tumours.

A couple who suffered devastating loss and illness have been working to raise awareness of strokes and brain tumours.

Norwich City Football Club's Aviva Ability Counts Week provided Joyce and Colin Bell from Thorpe End, Norwich, with the opportunity to promote awareness of stroke and brain tumours.

Both causes are close to their hearts as Colin, 57, had a major stroke in October 2005 and their daughter, Jennifer died in July 2006 as the result of an undiagnosed brain tumour.

Since their life has been turned upside down by these two devastating events, Joyce, 56, who had never attended a football match in her life, started to accompany Colin, a season ticket holder, to the home games sitting in the enclosed Aviva Ability Counts Gallery.

She is now a keen supporter of the Canaries, as was Jennifer.

The Aviva Ability Counts week and the gallery, aims to showcase the range of services available to disabled football supporters.

Joyce said: 'Through becoming involved with The Disabled Supporters' Working Group the opportunity arose to raise awareness of stroke and brain tumour.

'This we were able to do at the Football Club Open Day in May last year and recently at the Aviva Ability Counts week at the beginning of December.'

On Friday, November 27, The Stroke Association and Brain Tumour UK joined Stephen Graham of Norwich City Football Club at The Forum to promote the events of the following week.

Information on the Brain Tumour UK stand provided details of the support group which runs in Norwich at the Big C Centre once a month.

In the course of Aviva Ability Counts Week, Brain Tumour UK hosted their monthly meeting in one of the executive boxes at Carrow Road.

At the support group meeting the guest speaker was former Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson, who gave a talk and offered his backing to the group.

A collection of display boards have been mounted on the wall of the Aviva Ability Counts Gallery providing information about Brain Tumour UK, as well as art work and photography produced by members of the group.

For details of East Anglian Brain Tumour UK Support Group meetings contact Ella Pybus on 01787 374 084 or e-mail ellapybus@greenbee.net

For information on The Stroke Association Communication Support Service in North Norfolk and Norwich contact Rosemary Klein on 01692 650 429.