Fort William Student Shares Her Stroke Journey

A Scottish student who had a stroke as a teenager is set to return to university later this year. 

Adi Lev, who was 19 when she had her stroke in the early hours of the morning on June 16th last year, highlighted her journey as part of Stroke Awareness Month.

Through the support from her family and friends, as well as Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, Adi, who is studying law at the University of Glasgow, will move to the city later this year.  

There weren’t any warning signs for Adi when she had her stroke. When she was awake at 5am the following morning with her partner, Adam, it was quickly clear that something wasn’t right. 

Adi, now 20 and from Fort William, said: “One side of my face was drooping and I wasn’t really speaking to him.  

“He asked me who he was and I’m pretty sure I said dad or Lana who is my sister. That’s when he knew something was really wrong. He went and woke my parents up and they asked me to smile and my stroke was really obvious.” 

By the time the ambulance crew arrived, Adi was completely paralysed on her right hand side and had to be lifted out of the house on a carry chair. 

From there, Adi was quickly taken Belford Hospital in Fort William to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. The aspiring lawyer would spend three weeks in hospital recuperating after surgery to remove the rest of the large blood clot that caused her stroke. 

Her mum and dad spent a lot of time in Glasgow as well as her boyfriend who lives in the city. Physio and speech therapy started in the ward at the Queen Elizabeth before Adi returned home to her two little sisters in Fort William. 

Despite her speech and movement improving, Adi felt she wasn’t ready to return to university any time soon and had already had a year of learning derailed by her stroke and started struggling in October. 

Adi said: “I got a little bit sad, lonely and anxious. I think it was a mixture of knowing I’d had the stroke, having to defer university for a year, and having to build back up skills I had never really thought about before. Everything was tiring and exhausting. 

“I remember crying a lot to my mum and dad. There was a big feeling of loneliness and a sense of feeling lost.” 

That’s where Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland came in. After being put in touch with Vince McLaughlin, a Community Self Support Coordinator with the charity, the pair started having one-to-one sessions to help get Adi back on the right path.  

A plan was made to get Adi back to university through mental, physical and day-to-day tasks across their series of conversations. Setting a recovery plan in place is available to anyone who has had a stroke. 

She said: “Ever since meeting Vince, everything has completely changed for me. 

“I can’t even say how much Chest Heart & Stroke charity has helped me. Vince has been absolutely amazing; he’s helped me so much. He sat down with me and set out a plan. It was great. 

“Since my stroke I feel much better. I feel much more like myself. I started working three weeks ago. I’m doing a reception job two mornings a week and also work experience in a law firm once a week, and it’s going great. 

“Now I’m all set to go back to university in September and I’m really looking forward to it.” 

Vince McLaughlin, a Community Self Support Coordinator South Highland & Skye, said: “From the first meeting with Adi and her dad, it was clear she was determined. Sometimes developing goals can be really challenging, but Adi was incredibly focused. 

“She has come on leaps and bounds – she’s absolutely flying now. 

“Part of the plan was dipping her toe back in – watching first-year lectures and taking notes to see if it was clicking. She also wrote to every law firm in Fort William to ask about a volunteer placement. She started going in for an afternoon, and it all started flooding back: the confidence, the communication, the sense of capability. 

“Through our Advice Line, we put her in contact with the disability adviser at her university. She’s now looking for accommodation and getting the right support in place. The stroke nurses are also back in contact to help her access financial support related to stroke-related disabilities. 

“As a charity, we like to tell people’s stories because it’s about giving other people hope, this support is available.  

“Where she’s come from to where she is now is incredible, the work she’s done is remarkable.” 

If you’re living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid and are looking for advice, information, or access to our services in your local area, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text ADVICE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.