My mum Jackie suffered a major haemorrhagic stroke (blood leaking into the brain tissues) in October 2015 whilst celebrating her 50th birthday in Brussels. She spent several days in intensive care and 3 weeks in hospital in Brussels before transferring to the QEQM hospital in Margate. She then commenced the long road to recovery, spending 2 months in QEQM before she was finally discharged home to her family.

Mum suffered severe right sided weakness and therefore required help with all activities including eating, dressing etc. She is a very strong and determined woman and has worked tirelessly to improve her mobility and to overcome significant life changing disabilities. From initially not being able to walk at all she is now able to walk a short distance with the aid of a stick. Mum is a bright and intelligent person, always the life and soul of a party and has found it extremely frustrating to have her communication affected by aphasia. Again she has battled against this and has made huge improvements since 2015. She struggles on a day to day basis with extreme tiredness and chronic pain and understandably, she has days where she feels very low. My mum is no stranger to dealing with tragedy and grief having lost her 19-year-old son in 2010. We had all just started to emerge from the grief of this tragedy when the stroke hit.

My mum has strived to help others her entire life. Starting as a nursery nurse, she went onto train as a nurse and prior to her stroke was a busy Health Visitor Team Leader. Respected by all who have worked with her, she is a specialist in dealing with domestic abuse and has helped hundreds of women and children escape violent homes. She is an inspiration to all who know her, and despite having been unable to work since her stroke, continues to be an advocate for those in need by working with the Stroke Association and keeping in touch with her colleagues.

There is an innovative treatment which can help her. Available only in the USA, medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is given by injection to patients who have suffered a stroke. This treatment has resulted in life changing improvements to mobility, communication, vision and reduction if pain and tiredness.

The total cost of the treatment is £14,000 therefore we as Jackie’s family and friends are hoping to raise a significant amount to support her to visit the USA and experience this potentially life changing treatment. For further information on the treatment please go to http://www.tobinick.com/breakthrough-videos/

If you would like to support Jackie in this venture please donate.