The Adventures of Sandhy and #themovingtribe  
*Part 01*

Beware of my writing with aphasia - I have help, but it is still my own info 😂

In February 2008 at the age of 46, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had ‘one of those’ total operations, then lots of scrumptious chemotherapy. Pretty radical, but I refused to die and I was treated like a queen - then, 6 years later, in May 2014, I went into a coma. I was not sleeping - I was unconscious, with my brain functioning at its lowest stage of alertness.

I suffered from a brain bleed - a subarachnoid haemorrhage, a ruptured aneurysm and then a major complication; rebleeding [stroke], 4 days later. It carries a mortality rate of 51- 80%.

Therefore - I am extremely lucky. Or - I am simply extremely determined? In every single part of my life, I have always persevered to create wonderful things. Not only for myself - but for others.

And now - I really, really want to help to create this incredible calm, life changing #art therapy.

The brain injury was, and is, slightly more distressful than dealing
with cancer. And yes, I do understand what I am saying here [at last] - the reason being that with a brain injury, your life, your personality, your comprehension, your reading, writing - it all changes. Completely and utterly.

Getting back to yourself is extremely difficult, and it all moves slowly. A broken toe will get better within 6 months - in my life, my broken brain never stops getting better - but it takes a very long time…and it is all new. 

You cannot read about what you are able to manage. Read or ask how
to understand what has happened. Read or ask about dealing with the after effects. Because we can’t read - because the majority of us have aphasia. And we struggle with speech. And comprehension. It all makes it extremely frustrating to lose so much of your common speech.

In the last 7 years I have struggled to move forward any faster than [in my view] a snail.

But - I am still here. And I am extremely different than most people. I do not run around telling everyone that everything is beautiful. And I
definitely never say everything is inspirational.

But the latest project that myself and #themovingtribe are involved in? It is actually pretty ‘inspirational’ and we are being helped by Headway Devon. All of us are local brain injury survivors, and we enjoy such an inclusive, creative art therapy. It really helps us to get to understand, and accept our new identity after brain injury, by creating ‘new’ self-portraits.

Come to the ‘Brain Aid’ festival! It is FREE on Sunday 19th
June 2022, at Manor Gardens, Exmouth.
From 10.00am to 5.00pm, hosted by my lovely friend and radio presenter, Judi Spiers.

We have a fantastic Raffle which will be drawn on the day. You can enter our exclusive £10.00 per ticket raffle with incredible prizes of 5
Star Dining Experiences from Michael Caines, a 5x7" commissioned Portrait by our fabulous artist, Brian Helmers plus more - watch this space!
AND we also have local Exmouth prizes! Including vouchers from great local retail outlets and business in the Exmouth area in our general raffle at £5.00 per ticket [with 5 strips]

Don’t forget to share your details with me, as I will send your ticket numbers to you. Let me know how you would like your tickets
designated [£10.00 with 5 strips on our Exclusive Raffle Tickets OR £5.00 with 5 strips on our general local raffle tickets] by emailing: sandhy@chameleondesigns.net

**If you don't designate which ticket you want, you will automatically be entered into the general draw.**

Also, if you don’t share your details at all, your pennies will be considered to be a donation only and will NOT be entered to the prize
draw. And that generosity is very impressive!

The BRAIN AID Festival - 19th June 2022

Brain Aid will feature live performances from the Revelation Roots, La La Choir, Bradley the Busker, Happy Dogs Agility and Matt Pang’s Street Circus Act.
Also: face painting, bouncy castle, caricature artist Chris Pavlick and craft and food stalls.

Find out more: www.headwaydevon.org.uk

Help me move forward with my amazing #themovingtribe and my commitment from Headway Devon

Watch this space - I need to raise some funds for the Moving Tribe so please share this story?
Cheers all! 

#aphasia #braininjury #art #arttherapy

https://www.mickeysbeach.co.uk/
https://brianhelmers.com/
www.instagram.com/revelationroots/
www.lalachoirs.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/bradleythebusker/
www.happydogs.uk.com/
mattpang.co.uk/

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