Patient stories
After 88-year-old Philip Haines had a stroke and lost mobility in his left side, his bespoke rehabilitation enabled him to regain his independence. Here, to mark Stroke Awareness Month, he shares his story of recovery
“I’ll be forever grateful.” For 88-year-old Philip Haines, who lost mobility in his left side following a stroke, his thanks to those who helped him regain it are limitless. Philip, former secretary to the Anglican Diocese of Peterborough, admits being “hit for six” after his stroke, which was caused by a blood clot in his brain. His cerebral infarct left him with dense left hemiplegia, meaning he was unable to move his left arm and leg. While the blood clot was successfully removed, the stroke left Philip with cognitive challenges and difficulty in swallowing.
When Jessie Ace woke on her last day of university, unable to feel the whole left hand side of her body, her dreams of becoming an illustrator lay in tatters.
Having already clinched a book deal, which had been her ambition since childhood, Jessie’s future career plans had seemed to be in the ascendancy. But from that moment, and with her subsequent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at the age of only 22, Jessie was forced to delay her ambitions - but was adamant she would never give up. And now, eight years on, the determination and positivity which characterise Jessie’s everyday life have resulted in her publishing her first illustrated colouring book for children.
Having been diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s aged 34, fashion designer Genna Douglas was left isolated and confused about how to get on with her life. To make sure no one else suffers a similar fate, she has teamed up with Parkinson’s UK and clothing giant Next to create a range of products that are raising both money and awareness.
The ordinary task of doing the washing up one day would prove to be a huge moment for Genna Douglas, after she noticed her hand was not moving properly. While on maternity leave having just had her second daughter, doctors originally thought the problem was a damaged nerve and she was placed on a course of medication to deal with it.
After Helen Bulbeck’s daughter Megan was diagnosed with a brain tumour, the whole family was left isolated with little to no support. Now she is using this experience, plus her own journey with cancer, to help run the UK’s leading brain tumour support charity Brainstrust.
“It was at the time when Rohypnol was doing the rounds in the local pub, so I just thought maybe her drink had been spiked.” This was Helen Bulbeck’s initial reaction to her daughter, Megan, collapsing after a night out and being omitted to A&E in 2006. She later realised that it was the start of a lengthy battle, as MRI scans revealed Megan had a brain tumour. To complicate matters, surgeons opted not to operate unless the tumour showed signs of developing.
When Lily had a stroke aged only eight, such a diagnosis never crossed her family’s minds. Here, her mum Natalie shares their story of rebuilding their lives and why they are committed to raising awareness of childhood stroke
Almost a year ago, in April last year, eight-year-old Lily was rushed to Queens Hospital in Romford after collapsing at home. “It was a Monday afternoon during the first national lockdown, and we were preparing to do some schoolwork,” recalls her mum, Natalie.
When Marie was diagnosed with a brain tumour shortly after the birth of her daughter Amelia, which left her facing three life-saving rounds of surgery, the family’s trauma continued when Amelia was also found to have a neurological condition. Here, Marie shares how positivity and practicality are the key to them getting through whatever lies ahead
"My daughter and I are the same - we both have special brains. I was living with my brain tumour when I was expecting Amelia, and probably had been for a long time - not that I knew about it. I’d had headaches for years, but it was only six weeks after she was born, when they became absolutely unbearable, that I found out what had been happening in my brain while I’d been getting on with my life.
Brittney was 11 years old when she was hit by a car while walking to school, leaving her with a serious brain injury. Here, her mum Pat shares how the family continue to rebuild their lives
“The accident happened on the morning of April 1, 2019. I got a phone call from a woman, who told me that my daughter’s friend had been knocked over, but I then heard my older daughter in the background saying, “It’s not my friend, it’s my sister.” I got dressed quickly but couldn’t find any shoes. I remembered I had left some outside in the car so I went to look for them. Once I had some shoes on, I don’t know if it was mother’s instinct, but something told me to run. When I got to the top of the road I could see Brittney lying in the middle of the road. Instantly I could see that she wasn’t OK.
A hit song from the 1960s has been re-released in support of broadcasting legend David ‘Kid’ Jensen, who is living with Parkinson’s disease.
‘Big Day’, released by Luke and Blake in 1967, has been released again to raise money for Parkinson’s UK. The duo, David Capri and Stephen Stern, chose the charity in tribute to their close friendship with David ‘Kid’ Jensen, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2013.
Only days after returning from an adventure of a lifetime, Louise Hulbert’s world was torn apart when she had a stroke. Here, the author of From Burgos to Bedroom Floor and Back Again tells NR Times how she hopes to inspire other survivors with her story
Three years into retirement, and about to celebrate a landmark birthday, Louise Hulbert was making the most of her 60th year. A lover of walking, she had just completed several stages of El Camino, a long-distance pilgrimage walk from France to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, crossing the Pyrenees on the way, covering up to 15 miles every day.
A woman who had to learn to walk again after being diagnosed with a brain tumour only weeks after the birth of her daughter is now set to run the London Marathon.
In 2015, former civil servant Marie Garnett was diagnosed with a benign meningioma brain tumour less than six weeks after giving birth to daughter Amelia. The 45-year-old had suffered from severe headaches for seven years, which had become unmanageable after Amelia’s birth, and also developed dizziness and loss of balance in the days leading up to her diagnosis. Marie was rushed to The Walton Centre where she spent more than a month as she underwent three brain surgeries, the longest of which lasted eight hours, before battling meningitis – all while trying to be a new mum from her hospital bed.
