Patient stories

An 11-year-old girl from Swindon has raised £835 so far in a 62-mile walking challenge for the Stroke Association, inspired by her grandmother's stroke. Elsie Brown is taking part in the charity's 62 Miles in October challenge in honour of her grandmother and close friend, Sam Farrow, who had a stroke two years ago at [...]

A man who was forced to give up his job after suffering life-changing injury when he was hit by a car is now looking to achieve his dream of getting back into employment after making strong progress in his rehabilitation.  Anatoli Turcanu was walking home from work in Moulton Park, Northampton, when he was hit [...]

There is still time to recognise someone whose dedication, kindness or personal achievements have made a lasting difference in the brain and spinal injury community. Nominations for the Inspirational Contribution Award at the NR Times Awards 2026 are open until midnight on 30 October, giving readers an opportunity to celebrate the people whose efforts deserve [...]

A Channel 4 documentary will follow three young stroke survivors as they rebuild their lives and work towards greater independence. Trauma: My Broken Brain is being produced with the Stroke Association and will document their experiences over the course of a year.   As revealed by Deadline, the series follows Dan, 28, a [...]

A Sheffield spinal nurse says he is lucky to walk again following a spinal cord injury when he fell in his garden. “I cared for spinal cord injury patients for 22 years, you think you can empathise a little, but you can’t in any shape or form” When Tony Fallon (57) from Sheffield was paralysed [...]

Chris Kamara is set to take part in the Great North Run more than four years after being diagnosed with speech apraxia. The former footballer and Sky Sports pundit revealed his diagnosis in 2022 and stepped away from his broadcasting career that year. Speech apraxia is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to [...]

A Leeds garden has launched an outdoor photography trail featuring work by a local brain injury survivor. York Gate Garden in Adel hosted nearly 100 guests for an exclusive preview of the exhibition, which features Samuel Booth's photography throughout the one-acre site. Booth, a local photographer and gardener, has volunteered at York Gate and Harewood [...]

Former rugby player David ‘Jacko’ Jackson is nearing the end of a 100-day ultramarathon challenge raising funds for brain injury charities. Jackson is aiming to complete a 50km ultramarathon every day for 100 consecutive days, with the challenge due to finish on September 5. He hopes to raise £100,000 for Headway UK and Head for [...]

When Tilly had a sudden stroke, ordinary young-adult life suddenly felt out of reach. Her story shows how specialist, technology-enabled community neurorehabilitation can turn clinical progress into something more personal: work, friendships, freedom and a way back to herself. By Resilience Neuro Specialists, Warwickshire “Having a stroke at 19 isn’t the most interesting thing about [...]

On 11 January, I woke up with a headache and an overwhelming feeling that something wasn't right. As a GP registrar, I tried to reassure myself it wasn't a stroke. But within minutes, I lost all power down my left side. I called my wife, who immediately phoned for an ambulance. Shortly afterwards, I lost [...]