Life After Stroke

Life after strokeSPRING/SUMMER 2011

Strictly smoothVolunteer Sheena Metcalfe and thelegendary Stan McManus cut somerug at Carlisle Stroke Club

Also in this issue:Know your blood pressureWe follow the Stroke Association intheir mission to help people stay ontop of their blood pressure

Brrrilliant new study:Six lucky people from the club areoffered a 10-week trial with VibralifeFitness Clinic

30 years and Chrisstill helping others

Life after stroke SPRING/SUMMER 2011

Carlisle Stroke Club chairman,Christine Mountain has beenvolunteering at the club for almost 30years. Life After Stroke deatils how theclub’s leading lady found her way intohelping people on the path to recovery..Christine joined Carlisle Stroke Club as a

driver when she replied to anadvertisement in the News and Star inDecember 1982. She held the post of programme secretary for a

few years before becoming chairman a short timelater. “Soon after I joined the club, I got more

involved with different aspects. As they say, therest is history” Christine said.Originally from Workington, Christine set up a

similar club at her home town in Ayrshire, fordisabled people after hearing how frustrated herfriend’s mum was that she could not get out of thehouse following her stroke.

It was this that prompted Christine to getinvolved with the club in Carlisle.As well as being a proud Scot, Christine’s

hobbies include flower arranging, gardening,rugby and she also has an active role in theChurch of Scotland on Chapel Street.Carlisle Stroke Club plays a vital part in peoples’

recovery and Christine is proud that it has beenrunning for almost 34 years. The club was set up by Dr Peter Chin and some

other local professionals in June 1977. “It hasbeen helped by the fact that we have a good groupof volunteers.”“It’s great fun and worthwhile in helping people

with their recovery so I am very happy in my roleas chairman. Carlisle Stroke Club will be the lastthing I ever give up. The members are a gamebunch and are up for absolutely anything!”“A stroke is such a tremendous illness that not

only affects a lot of your body, but has a hugeimpact on family and your day to day life.”“This club proves that there really is a life after

stroke.”

All photographs credited to Gemma Doyle unless

stated otherwise

This publication was printed by Cumbrian

Newspapers.

All articles written by Sarah Langford.

Edited by Sarah Langford for assessment in BA

(Hons) Journalism at the University of Cumbria

With thanks to Cumbria Mobility Ltd and the Crown

and Mitre Hotel for their kind donations to Carlisle

Stroke Club in return for advertising.

Latest donationsRonnie Mulholland kindly donated £70 of hisbirthday money to the club thanks to thegenerosity of guests at his 80th birthdayparty.

The band “3 for all”, which features RonnieWalker, Morris Petry and Eddie Clifford,raised a combined £170 through sales oftheir CD and donations for performances.

Longtown Stroke Club transferred theirremaining funds of £859.50 to Carlisle StrokeClub following their closure in April.

£100 was donated anonymously by amember of Carlisle Stroke Club.

£230 was raised in memory of a non-member, who the family wishes to remainanonymous.

A cake sale at Kirkbampton School helped toraise £137.07 for Carlisle Stroke Club.

University student to examinehow members walk the walkMembers of Carlisle Stroke Club wereasked to roll up their trousers in thename of science as part of a study intoperceptions of walking.Lauren Stenhouse, 23, is studying for her

Masters’ degree in Physiotherapy at theUniversity of Cumbria, and as part of this,Lauren is researching how people walkafter they have had a stroke.The brave volunteers who completed the study

were asked to walk down a ten metre runwayduring a meeting in March, while being filmed byLauren and her assistant.Those taking part were also asked to complete a

questionnaire detailing information about theirstroke.In order to take part in the study, volunteers had

to roll up their trousers and tuck in their shirts, so

that Lauren could have a clear view of how theywere walking.Lauren (below) said: “I have had a good response

so far. I just hope my research can help peoplewho have had a stroke in the future”

I have been in contact with Carlisle Stroke Clubfor nearly two years now and have nothing butadmiration for for everybody involved.My first encounter with the club was when Ihelped raise £500 in memory of Derek Laceyafter he died of a stroke in June 2009. I was touched by how much of an impact the clubhad on people’s lives and the close bond the 36members and volunteers share.This issue of Life After Stoke has been createdfor assessment as the final part of my degree injournalism, but it is hoped that the magazine willbe a regular occurrence.Inside this magazine, a whole spectrum of theworld of stroke is explored; from survivor storiesand medical professionals to vibrating plates andSinatra singers.Whether you’ve had a stroke, been affected by itor even have no connection to it, I hope that thismagazine truly encapsulates the fantastic workthat Christine and her team of volunteers do forpeople recovering from a stroke.

Sarah Langford

� Carlisle Stroke Club is a registeredcharity and is based at Robert FergusonSchool in Denton Holme, Carlisle. The clubmeets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of themonth between 7.30 and 9.30pm.For information of how to donate or togetinvolved, conact the Chairman on 01228576738

A word fromthe editor...

Long service: Christine joined the stroke club after a chance find in the News and Star

2

Carlisle Stroke Club ‘buzzing’about new vibration studiesMembers of Carlisle Stroke Club havebeen invited to take part in aninnovating study into the long termeffects of vibration therapy on strokesufferers.The research is headed by Lizzie Kenny,

who is studying for a master’s degree inphysiotherapy, which is being funded bythe University of Cumbria.The Vibralife Fitness Clinic, which recently

celebrated its first birthday, utilizes vibrationtechnology to stimulate muscles without the needfor strenuous exercise.The clinic has previously worked with people

suffering from Multiple Sclerosis andAlzheimer’s, but only now has had the chanceuntil now to attempt to help those who have had astroke.Lizzie, in conjunction with the University of

Cumbria, wants to investigate the possiblebenefits of Vibralife with stroke sufferers and useher research to help shape a programme ofexercise to increase mobility.

“Hoping for good results”

“We are aiming to get six volunteers to take partin a 10-week programme to see what effects orbenefits our vibration therapy could have on thoserecovering from a stroke” said Lizzie.Ronnie Marshall was the first to give the

machine a go. “It wasn’t unpleasant, just vibrating on my arm.

It might help, you never know. The hospital can’tdo anything with me now and I would tryanything to get rid of the pain in my arm. I wouldlike to take part in the programme, as long as theyprovide transport. ”Lana Brown, managing director at Vibralife,

spoke of her ambitions: “We are hoping to helppeople enhance their condition and get the mostof their body. We know that we can help peoplewith this machine and we welcome people tocome and have a look around the gym before theysign up.”Lizzie added: “We have had 5 people sign up so

far which I'm really happy about. Everyone whohas shown interest has been really enthusiasticand willing to give it a go. Fingers crossed wewill see some good results in a few weeks time.”Vibralife Fitness Clinic is medically approved

and based on Kingmoor Road.For more information, call Lizzie on 01228

580444.

Life after strokeSPRING/SUMMER 2011 3

Top: Brave volunteer, RonnieMarshall was the first to give thevibration machine a go.Far right: The Vibralife team. L-R:Stewart, Lana and LizzieRight: Joe Davidson contemplates

Dates for your diary: 7th June - Keep fit 21st June - Outing Rosley Womens Institute 5th July -

Dalston Ladies Chioir 19th July - Surprise outing 6th September - St Stephen’s Band 20th September - AGM

Stroke Associationblood pressuremission reallytakes the biscuit

In pictures: Life after stroke joins Liz Roberts & Life after stroke SPRING/SUMMER 2011

The Stroke Association has beentouring the north of England offeringblood pressure tests to those deemed tobe at high risk of a stroke. The latest stop for the team was McVities

biscuit factory in Carlisle.First in to have his blood pressure taken was

Mike Thursby, 52, a process supervisor who hasbeen working at the factory for 21 years.His blood pressure was perfect at 125/86. Mike

said “I think it is a good idea to have the bloodpressure checks because my dad had a strokewhen he was 72, thankfully he recovered from it.It’s good piece of mind to know that my bloodpressure is fine.”Kath Walker, part of the information, advice and

support team for the Stroke Association, said: “it’sdifficult to say how popular the checks are goingto be. I would like to think that we are going toget as many in as possible. 50 would be great in afactory this size.”“It is extremely important to get your blood

pressure checked, not only does it raiseawareness, but it can stop you from having astroke. A lot of people think that if their bloodpressure is fine, they are reluctant to get itchecked again. You should aim to get bloodpressure checks once or twice a year”The initiative works on the basis that of

somebody is alerted to the fact that they have highblood pressure, they will be better equippedmanage and maintain a healthier rate. “If somebody comes here today and they have

high blood pressure, we will help that person tounderstand what it means and how they can helpto reduce it.Liz Roberts, regional information officer for the

North West, said “research has shown that shiftworkers are in one of the high risk groups forstroke. We aim to use this research to try andprevent as many cases as we can. Above all, doingthis helps to raise awareness of stroke.”McVities invited the Stroke Association as part

of their stroke awareness month in the factory.

McVities, based in Caldewgate, was the latest in aseries of stops on a North West tour of Englandoffering blood pressure checks to “high risk groups”

Cost effective:This cheap andsimple test couldhelp to prevent astroke, as well asother seriousproblems suchas heart diseaseand an irreglarpulse

4

Kath Walker offering checks to McVities staffLife after strokeSPRING/SUMMER 2011

First volunteer: Mike Thursby, deemed by research to be at high risk of stroke, gets his blood pressure

checked by Liz Roberts from the Stroke Association

“You’re fine”: Kath Walker explains to one member of staff what his blood pressure reading demonstrates

Wait your turn: Workersqueue up to find out if they areas healthy as they feel

5

Local singing legends RonnieWalker, Eddie Clifford andMorris Petry have nominatedCarlisle Stroke Club as thecharity to receive all proceedsfrom their CD sales andperformances.Following annual stints for the

club in the last five years, thegroup feels that the work ofCarlisle Stroke Club is aworthy cause to support.

The trio is now in a band called “3for all” which mainly covers Sintaraera music and has been rehearsingand touring residential homes foraround two years. Ronnie said: “I kind of roped Eddie

into it, I knew he was a good singerand told him to come along with us.Morris used to be a full time

performer, and I was singing parttime through an agency so wedecided to start performingtogether.”

Around this time, Ronnie’s brother-in-law had a stroke and has beengoing to Carlisle Stroke Club eversince which strengthened their ties tothe club. “The members like to sing along

with the songs, we think that it’stherapeutic for them. It plays a bigpart in people’s recovery” Eddieadded.It was when the group started to get

offered money for theirperformances that they decidedCarlisle Stroke Club should benefit. “We work for free, we’re not doing

this to make money” Ronnie waskeen to add. “We have so much fun performing

at Carlisle Stroke Club and lookforward to it all year.”The group performed for members

in March this year along withanother well known Carlisleperformer, Stan McManus and theywere a massive hit.Speaking of Stan, Ronnie added:

“He has been performing at CarlisleStroke Club a lot longer than wehave and it’s because of him that westarted performing there.

Stan compered “3 for all’s”performance, providing a bounty oflaughs in his Dad’s Army style attire,before wooing volunteer SheenaMetcalfe on the dancefloor.Stroke club member, Derek Glover

said the performance was “one of thebest nights on the programme”.With their powerful voices, the

showmen had every member tappingtheir feet and singing along to songsof their era.Chairman, Christine Mountain, was

delighted by the response to “3 forall”: “The club is always happywhen Ronnie and Eric come, theyare so professional and are fantasticsingers.”

Long-term volunteer reflectson his time as CSC organizerThe majority of money donated toCarlisle Stroke Club funds transport toand from meetings for its members, andnobody knows the importance ofallowing sufferers to get out of the housemore than Hughie Bernard, formertransport organiser.Hughie has been volunteering for nearly

30 years at the club after retiring from hisjob at the Prudential following a heartattack.He used to be a driver, taking patients from the

hospital to the stroke club meetings when theywere based at the City General, now theCumberland Infirmary, before they moved toRobert Ferguson School based in Denton Holme.“The job I did involved meeting anybody who

wanted to join the stroke club at their house; notonly so I knew where to pick them up from, but itwas for them to have at least one familiar face attheir first meeting. I would always help them to break the ice with

other members, this made it less daunting forthem” said Hughie.It was when the club bought a new minibus a

few years ago, when Hughie decided that it wastime to make use of it and started running somesummer afternoon trips.The decisions of where to go where drawn from

suggestions of members - the biggest hit wasalways Silloth via Keswick, Borrowdale andBrough. The group would be out for no longer than four

hours to stop members being uncomfortable.“The stroke club doesn’t do day trips anymore

after my ill health, which is a shame because themembers loved the trips” Hughie added.Hughie decided to get involved with Carlisle

Stroke Club after his mother and mother-in-lawboth had stroke. “I would still do it now, but I justcan’t. I have stopped volunteering fully for nearlytwo years now.”At its peak, Carlisle Stroke Club had 70

members, but unfortunately has lost a lot to deathand those who have fully recovered. It was this volume of members that prompted

Hughie to develop the “route” system that theclub uses today. “It is so important to people to get out of the

same four walls; going to the stroke club meetingis the only time to get out for many people.”

“As a volunteer, you see people go through therecovery process. A lot of people cry through the first stage, even

the men, which makes them quite introverted. Butafter a while, you get to see them come out oftheir shell and gain more mobility in their affectedlimbs. I have seen such a transformation in so many

people since I started working there.”The cost of petrol is the main drain on Carlisle

Stroke Club’s resources. But without this service,many of the 36 members wouldn’t be able toattend. Hughie added: “The time I spent doing my bit in

people’s recovery, who became my friends overthe years, was a time that I cherished.”Hughie still helps at Carlisle Stroke Club when

his health allows. And there is no uncertainty about whether

Hughie is at the club, his bellowing voice can beheard all around the school when the raffle orbingo begins...“37! WHO’S GOT 37?!”


Charity starts at home say legendary crooners

The minibuses play a vital role in the success of

Carlisle Stroke Club. Inset: The group get ready to

head home after a great night at with their friends.

Big impact:

Hughie’s input

to Carlisle

Stroke Club is

valued by all of

the members.

Left to right: Eddie Clifford, Stan McManus and Ronnie Walker

5

6

Dr Davies: Simplicity is key inkeeping patients in the knowStroke can be a confusing and dev-astating illness which, until recently,has had a low profile in the media. Dr Paul Davies is a stroke consultantat the Cumberland Infirmary. Here heshares his knowledge of causes,treatments and ways to help preventa stroke.

Astroke occurs when the blood supply tothe brain is disrupted. Symptoms suchas facial weakness, arm weakness and

speech disturbance may come on very sud-denly. Around 80 per cent of strokes are caused

by blood clots, and if we can confirm a clot isthe cause of the stroke with a brain scan, wecan perform Thrombolysis, more looselyknown as the “clot buster” to help aidrecovery.For those who receive this treatment, 1 in 3

has some benefit, but we have to be verycareful about who can get this treatmentbecause a small number of patients withstroke can have a serious bleed on the brainfrom the Thrombolysis, and this could causeserious problems.In the long term, we use anti-platelet tablets

such as aspirin to prevent another clot, aswell as “statins” that help to lowercholesterol. Ultimately, we try to get bloodpressure down. I encourage people to keep on top of their

blood pressure and reduce it as much aspossible; somewhere below 130 over 80 iswhat we aim for.

“FAST campaign has beeneffective in highlighting stroke”

Recognising the symptoms of stroke is veryimportant if we are to offer the best help tosomebody who has had a stroke. The launchof the FAST campaign has been effective inraising the awareness of stroke. People must respond early to be able to get

more treatment options, we are quite happywhen somebody gets in early; it means thatthey have the best chance of a betteroutcome. Preventing a stroke is better than treating a

stroke. The risk factors are virtually the sameas those everyone knows as causes of heartdisease. Smoking carries an increased risk of stroke

and people should try to stop. To preventstroke we recommend doing around 20minutes of exercise every day, and eatingsensibly, and we push the “5 a day” rule.Transient Ischemic Attacks, or “mini strokes”,can be deceiving; the symptoms get betterquickly; nevertheless, you need to get seenstraight away. Some patients with TIA will be at a high risk

of a full stroke and getting treatment earlycould prevent it. It may be a lucky escape ifstroke symptoms go away in 20 minutes, butit is also a warning and you should go andget to hospital straight away.

“Stroke affects all ages”

Stroke is a devastating illness and around 1in 4 stroke patients are of working age – 65years or less. It has a marked effect on theirfamilies as well as their livelihood. We work closely with disability employment

officers to try and get younger patients backto work where possible. There is a whole spectrum of stroke that

makes it difficult to judge how long recoverywill take. Some people will be dischargedfrom hospital very quickly, whereas othermay be in hospital for 3 months or evenlonger. It depends on the size if stroke and what

area of the brain is affected. Recovery

doesn’t end when the patient leaves hospital,it goes on and on. Rehabilitation is all about practice and

repetition which seems to help recovery inthe best way, it can sometimes be tiring forpatients but in time, they get to see therewards. The aim is to get other areas of thebrain to take over the jobs of the affectedareas. As honorary president of Carlisle Stroke

Club, I meet Christine Mountain on a regularbasis to get feedback from the members ofCSC on developments in the stroke serviceat the hospital and in the community. I also give a talk at the club every year to

give them a chance to hear about newdevelopments in stroke care.

“Better to have a false alarm thanmiss a treatable stroke”

The Carlisle Stroke Club is a really valuableplace for some people as it is the only socialevent that they may be able to get to. Thereis still a tendency to put off getting thingsseen by a doctor. No matter how serious you think any of the

symptoms are, you need urgency in gettingto hospital. If it turns out to be a false alarm,we would be delighted, rather than miss astroke that could have been treated.


Jargon Buster: Stroke consultant Dr Davies believes in explaining stroke to his patients through simple terms

Suspect a stroke?Act FAST. Call 999.

acial weaknessCan the person smile?Has their mouth or eye drooped?

rm weaknessCan the person raise both arms?

peech problemsCan the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

By calling 999 early treatment can be given which can prevent further brain damage.

Stroke Helpline 0845 3033 100 www.stroke.org.uk

FAST ime to call 999

Stroke is a medical emergency.

© The Stroke Association 2008 The Stroke Association is registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No. 61274. Registered charity No. 211015 and registered charity in Scotland No. SC037789.

Sponsored by

Hard-hitting:

Dr Davies has

praised the

FAST cam-

paign in alert-

ing the public

to the warning

signs of stroke

7

Two years on: Hillary reflectson life without BBC’s Derek


“Hillary: “I can’t believe how much fun exuded from that little box!”

Grieving is such a personal thing, everybodydeals with it differently which is why I can’tgive advice to anybody else in my position.All I can say is that if you are a familymember or a friend, to offer as much supportas you can.

“People of all ages listened to

Derek’s commentary”

A few weeks before Derek died, he hadbeen complaining of headaches and henever went to get them checked out. In somerespects, we put it down to his job, asCarlisle United commentator for BBC RadioCumbria, and all the travelling and late nightsthat it camewith. He would always insist oncoming home straight after the matches hewas covering, which sometimes saw himcoming back at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning.

Losing a loved one to stroke can be aparticularly difficult time. Here,Hillary Hunter talks to Life afterstroke about grieving for her partner -legendary Carlisle Unitedcommentator, Derek Lacey who diedin June 2009.

Derek and I were together for 9 yearsand met through a mutual friend. Myfriend and I had been out for a Chinese

and a glass of wine, we called into WoodrowWilson’s in Carlisle and met Derek; we wereintroduced and we started to talk, soon after,he asked me out for a meal and that was it -we met up a couple of times and neverlooked back.Derek was very good company, he had a

wonderful, warm sense of humour that madeyou laugh. One moment that sticks out in my mind was

when Derek and I were walking up WarwickRoad and some lads were using some verychoice language, shall we say, about thefootball while standing outside a fish and chipshop. Suddenly they started singing “there’sonly one Derek Lacey”. Most people wouldhave carried on walking, but Derek crossedthe street and started to talk to them aboutthe match. After a little while, one of thempicked up a chip, dragged it through histomato sauce and put it in my hand. We werehowling!

“I went into a sort of vacuum”

I didn’t know anything about football at all,but once I met Derek, I had to learn about itbecause he talked to so many people about itand always had the football on the televisionin the house. I had to keep abreast of whatwas happening.Derek had his stroke while helping me out in

the shop one day. I could hear him laughingfrom upstairs and wouldn’t have guessed thatthere was anything wrong with him. He latercollapsed in the shop and he died within 24hours. We did all the right things and got him to

hospital as soon as possible, but he couldn’tbe saved. It was so sudden; he came in witha bright, happy smile and when he went tomake us both a cup of tea, that’s when hecollapsed.When Derek died, I displaced myself from

everything. I’ve only just started to look outfor the football results recently, since Carlislegot to Wembley.I went into a sort of vacuum. It was the only

way I could cope. Derek was such a localpersonality that I found it very difficult to talkwith people that were coming up to me in thestreet. I just cut myself off and got on withwork - I found that work was my salvation.People were very kind and it was comforting

that so many people liked him and enjoyedhis commentary. People of all ages listenedto him and it was nice to know that, but it wasstill hard to cope.

Looking back now, the headaches may havebeen a warning sign for Derek. I have a verydifferent outlook on life now. People have tolove and enjoy the day. You have to ignorethe silly things in life, surround yourself inlaughter and be positive.My daughter, Rachel, took a gap year from

starting university so that I wasn’t on my own.If it wasn’t for her, I’d be in a much worsestate. The first thing that comes to mind when I

think of Derek is his big, wide smile. It wasear to ear – just like Mr Happy! Derek was a very happy person with a great

outlook on life. He always used to say his glass was half

full, not half empty. I say his glass wasoverflowing.� Hillary was a nurse for 12 years beforetaking over Precious Metals on St AlbansRow 32 years ago.

Copyright: Cumbrian Newspapers

8

Prolific travellers determinedto get back on the road again


Although having a stroke has limitedJoe and Maureen’s ability to see theworld, the pair are determined thatthey will not give up what they enjoy,or give into stroke.Joe Davidson had his stroke tenyears ago, which “came out ofnowhere” despite having a clean billof health. Joe’s wife of 52 yearsshares their experience of stroke withSarah Langford.

We were told as soon as theambulance arrived that Joe hadtaken ill with a stroke.

He was in hospital for five months to receiverehabilitation and physiotherapy but it didn’tmake much of a difference for him then as itwas quite a severe stroke; it took a few yearsto really notice an improvement.His entire left side was paralyzed, he lost

the vision in one eye, but his speech cameback within the same day, in that respect hewas lucky.The stroke hasn’t really changed our outlook

on life, although it has changed in the respectthat we can’t do what we could before. Sincewe lost the car, Carlisle Stroke Club has beena lifeline for us. We couldn’t get out of thehouse.That was the only time we really went out in

the early stages of Joe’s recovery. Nowadayswe get taxi’s everywhere but that soon getsvery expensive.The biggest impact for us is not being able

to go travelling anymore. We used to goaway quite a lot, our favourites were Canada,Australia, and South Africa We managed to get to Australia two years

ago because we had an adapted chair andwe were so pleased when joe was deemedfit to fly. They are so well geared up to dealwith disability over there, way more than thiscountry. He was so well looked after byeverybody and we enjoyed wvery minute.

The day trips with the stroke club arefantastic especially how easy it is with theirwheelchair friendly minibus.It’s just a case of getting on with it and doing

the best you can: “I think I’m lucky comparedto others”It was embarrassing for Joe to have people

caring for him, especially getting washed by astranger. We decided to do it all on our ownas soon as we could manage.We don’t let the stroke bother us too much;

we live by the motto “if it’s a nice day, we goout.” We make an effort to get out and visit afew places.Getting over a stroke is hard at first, but it

Tailored care from Stroke Association on offer Support is vital in the aftermath of astroke, not only for the victim but forthe family and carers too. Kath Walker, part of the information,

advice and support team based at LowHesket, details the role of the StrokeAssociation during the recovery process.“We go to see patients on the wards at the

Cumberland Infirmary each week, starting at theward, Elm A as we get our referrals from thereand explain the service on offer to the families. It is usually within the first couple of days after

the stroke that we approach the patient, duringthis time we tell them what a stroke is and whatthey do next. We get their contact details and goon home visits to offer emotional support rightthrough their stay at hospital. If they still want oursupport, we go on a home visit and it is there thatwe establish what their needs are.

We take leaflets with us about stopping smoking,adapting your diet, how to cope with not drivingand many other areas. We explain about CarlisleStroke Club and the younger stroke group forthose who have strokes under the age of 65. We let them know that if they need us we are

here whether it be every other week or simply aphone call every month. We can support theperson for up to a year, and if the person dies, wesupport the family.There are various workshops available for

people in recovery, such as creative writing, claywork and Nintendo Wii Fit evenings.Working in the role that I do, I find it shocking

that so many people go through it. Stroke affectsso many areas of a person’s life, but with support,it doesn’t have to be the end of the world.The Stroke Association not only helps those

suffering, but also works hard to prevent thenumber of cases of the condition by raising

awareness and ways to reduce the risk of stroke.We would all like to have a day where it is nothappening.At least people have got us helping families,

helping to understand what is going on andoffering support at a time when they really needit.”

Jetsetters: Joe and his wife Maureen are not prepared to cut short their travels

Vital support: Kath delivers advice for up to a year

through the Stroke Association, which has proved to

play a huge role in the recovery process

does get easier. I had to lift Joe and prop him up as he used

to fall over a lot. It is the expense that really affects us; we

get no extra financial help because we haveour pensions. We don’t get any disabilityallowance so we just do what we can.Joe was very determined, if you told him he

couldn’t do something, he went out andproved he could. This was the driving force behind Joe’s

recovery. It was vital to carrying him such along way.We will get back travelling around the world

again.

9

Disability allowance trade-inoffered to local stroke victims


Above: Cumbria Mobility Ltd offers a wide range of goods that allow disabled people to be self

sufficient in their own home.

Inset: Heather Mills (centre) after opening the store in 2009. L-R Stephen cornwell, Sharon

cornwell, Heather Mills, Paul Nolan, Kerry Nicholls

People living with disability inCumbria are being given the chance toexchange their benefits for motorisedvehicles to help them get around.Motability is a national scheme for

anybody who receives a Higher RateDisability Allowance or a War Pensioners’Mobility Supplement which allows peopleto trade in their allowance for a three yearlease on a scooter or wheelchair, which issimilar to the national car scheme thatworks on the same basis.The package includes breakdown insurance,

maintenance and the scooter itself with the hassle

of owning a motorised vehicle taken care of byMobility Operations. Cumbria Mobility Ltd, based on Newtown Road

in Carlisle, is the only accredited dealer ofMotability goods in Cumbria. Managing director,Stephen Cornwell is pleased with this accolade:“To be accredited, we and our goods have toperform to the highest standards and this issomething that we are very proud of.”The store, which was opened by Heather Mills in

2009, also allows for private sales in all kinds ofgoods that allow people living with disability toretain their independence. “We sell stair lifts,custom chairs, crutches, back supports, cushions

and much more” Mr Cornwell added.Those who decide to take advantage of the

Motability scheme in Carlisle are invited tochoose their own vehicle in Mr Cornwell’s shop,of which he is keen to stress: “We pride ourselveson the fact that we are not here to make a fastbuck; we are here to make a difference. If an itemis not suitable for a client, we will not push themto purchase it.”“We give as much advice as possible and allow

the customer to make up their own mind. Why bestuck indoors in the walking capital of England?”For more information, contact Mr Cornwell on

either of the numbers above.

10

Couple worked as a team tonurse Ronnie back to health

Just the two of us: Ronnie and Anne have helped each other come to terms with stroke and get on with life.

Sacrifice, pain and frustration has beenno match for Ronnie and AnneMarshall’s 63 year marraige after thecouple worked together to ease the sideeffects of stroke.Ronnie has been going to Carlisle Stroke

Club since he came out of hospital, almostfour years ago after suffering a stroke thenight before the couple’s diamondwedding anniversary celebrations.The couple met when Ronnie was based in

Austria with the army and moved to Carlisle as acouple in 1948.“The biggest problem for me is the frustration; I

know exactly what I want to do, but I can’t do it.”Ronnie said.Ronnie had a lot of trouble reading and writing

in the early stages of his stroke because of theimpairment his vision and grip, but “we sat in thekitchen for hours and persevered with it” Annesaid. “Now he is able to read the paper again.”As a result of stroke, Ronnie and Anne were

forced to give up their car, their garden and muchof their social life, Ronnie added: “It has had a bigimpact on our lives; generally speaking, the onlynight we get out is the Tuesday nights at thestroke clubWe wouldn’t be able to go to the meetings if it

wasn’t for the transport that Carlisle Stroke Clubprovides. They are very good that way.I really enjoy Dr Davies’ slideshows, they are

really informative and he tells me things in plainEnglish.”The couple has made made a lot of friends at the

stroke club and they believe that meeting people“on the same wavelength” has helped them cometo terms with stroke. “We have always been close and have never

been without each other. That is the main thingand it has brought us closer together.You have to deal with this the best way you can

and support each other.”

“We’ve got to be strong and makethe best of a bad job ”

The couple believes that donations to CarlisleStroke Club are vital: “they wouldn’t be able todo what they do without them. The lasses thatvolunteer there are so good” Ronnie added.Anne believes that a lot of people don’t

understand stroke until it hits them. Anne said:“You realise what a huge impact it has on yourlife. It turns your life upside down.Ronnie gets pain now that he never used to have

which causes him a lot of discomfort, which hesays is one of the worst side effects of his stroke.“He’s not getting any younger, so we just hope

his symptoms don’t get any worse, as long as thatdoesn’t happen, we will be happy.We have a nice house, a lovely family and each

other, so it could be worse. We’ve just got to geton with it.”Ronnie and Anne boast an impressive family,

with three sons, eight grandchildren and fourgreat grandchildren – the youngest of which isonly two months old. “They try to help us asmuch as they can. The family takes us shoppingon the weekend and come to see us at the house

on some evenings.” Since he had the stroke, Ronnie finds it difficult

to pick things up, such as concepts and somewords, as easily as he used to. “His memory isstill quite good, his speech is ok but his left sidehas been impacted from a clot on the right side ofhis brain, making it very weak.” Anne added.When Ronnie fell ill, he complained of pain in

his left leg and in his right arm: “I knew straightaway that it was a stroke; call it my nurse’sinstinct! said AnneRonnie has accepted that he will never get his

full movement back; even though he does all ofhis exercises and does what the physio tells him todo.Although the couple find it difficult to get out of

the house, Anne is optimistic that they won’t bethis way forever:“Now that we have 2wheelchairs, we can go out on the bus and out forwalks. We’re thinking of attempting HoughtonHall soon.We are better off than lots of otherpeople; we have seen some pitiful cases of strokesufferers. But we have to be strong and make thebest of a bad job.”

Volunteer Celebration Event

Volunteers from all over the county havebeen invited to celebrate the work they doas part of volunteers week which runs fromthe 1st to the 7th of June.The Volunteers Celebration Event will beheld at the Tithe Barn in Carlisle onMonday 6th of June, starting at 12pm.Each organization that has registered willreceive a certificate on the day asrecognition of the work they do.Individual volunteer certificates will also beavailable upon request.The organizers are asking those who takepart to put together a creative package toshowcase the help and support they offer.Anybody wishing to attend should havetheir place booked before Friday 20th ofMay. For more information, contact CumbriaCVS on 01228 512513.

Life after strokeSPRING/SUMMER 2011 11

You’ve been snapped!

Look’s like Stan’s flying lessons paid off!

This guy’s too cool for you lot!

I wonder what this gentleman has his eye on?

Shouldn’t you two lovebirds be working?

This lady’s spoiled for choice on the way home!


Life After Stroke’s sneakyphotographer, Gemma Doyle, hasbeen busy snapping members ofCarlisle Stroke Club during meetingsin uncompromising positions andhas been on the hunt for funnyscenes.If you’re lucky enough to feature onthis page, don’t hesitate to contactthe editor for a copy.

Fame at last: Anything to get your face in the paper!

Feeding time at the zoo

Hughie’s fed up of waiting now...

Maureen’s quite literally on the edgeof her seat!

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Life After Stroke

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