It was shortly after the first lockdown that my mum had a pretty severe stroke. Overnight she lost her ability to communicate and a lot of mobility. Fortunately she is still with us and happy at home with my dad but she is only able get out a few words and is heavily reliant on my dad. Overnight he became a 24 hour carer and whilst my mum has made a lot of progress (pacemaker insertion inbetween) the recovery continues to be very slow.

When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. Life changes instantly and recovery is tough. But the brain can adapt. The Stroke Associations specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the courage and determination of the stroke community. With more donations and support from you, we can rebuild even more lives.