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I can’t fully express how much Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has helped me.
This kindness has already made a huge difference to my life, and to thousands of people like me, by making sure we get the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
I could never have imagined having a stroke at 19. But that’s exactly what happened.
It was early morning on June 16th last year when everything started to go wrong.
My boyfriend Adam noticed my face was drooping and that I couldn’t speak properly. He kept asking me if I was ok, and even asked me who he was, but I couldn’t answer. In those moments, we realised something really terrifying was happening, and we both felt completely helpless.
Within hours, I was in hospital. I had a large clot on the left side of my brain. The right side of my body was completely paralysed.
Overnight, everything I took for granted was gone.
I spent five days in intensive care, and weeks more in rehab. Tasks I’d never thought about before like standing up, getting dressed and brushing my teeth suddenly became enormous challenges.
My life didn’t just change. It stopped.
Those first few weeks were a blur of confusion and fear. I was exhausted all the time and struggled to understand what was happening to me.
But slowly, with physiotherapy, I started to improve. I’ll never forget the first time I stood up and took a few steps. I walked into a waiting room and saw my parents sitting there, smiling. For a moment, I thought, I’m going to be okay.
But recovery isn’t a straight line.
By October, my formal therapy had stopped. On paper, I was “doing well.” In reality, I was not back to who I was.
I felt stuck.
I was still struggling with my confidence and my energy. University was on hold. My life felt like it had been put on pause while everyone else’s kept going.
That was one of the hardest parts. I felt like I had been left behind. I was anxious, frustrated, and often very lonely. I cried to my mum and dad a lot.
I knew I wasn’t back to myself, but I didn’t know how to get there.
Everything changed when my NHS stroke nurse referred me to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.
I then met Vince, one of the charity’s Community Healthcare Support coordinators, and from our first conversation I felt something I hadn’t felt in months. Hope.
He listened. He understood. Most importantly, he helped me believe that things could get better. Together, we made a plan. Something practical, something personal, something that helped me move forward again.
And step by step, I did.
Now, I’m getting my life back.
I’m going back to university in September. I’m planning where I’ll live, and I’ve rejoined the yoga committee. I’ve started working again too, doing reception work and gaining experience in a law firm. For the first time since my stroke, I can say it;
“I feel like me again.”
Your support has already made a huge difference to me. But there are still so many other people who need that same help.
Before my stroke, I never really thought about how many people are affected by stroke. I was shocked to learn that 31 people have a stroke every day in Scotland. Having been through it myself, I know just how frightening it can be, and how much support from CHSS can mean when you’re trying to rebuild your life.
A donation today could fund one-to-one support and provide reassurance when everything feels uncertain
Please, will you give what you can today?
£12,50
will fund a call to the CHSS advice line.
Donate £12,50
£20
will give someone one hour of vital one-to-one help.
Donate £20
£40
will help train a volunteer.
Donate £40
£100
can help fund a self-management programme that empowers people to manage their condition and live well with confidence.
Donate £100