Press release -
New Forest stroke survivor adds his voice to Lost for Words campaign
New Forest stroke survivor Glen Malcolm, 51 is one of the hundreds of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.
Marathon-runner Glen was only 47 when he had a stroke two days after Christmas. With a young family to raise, Glen had no choice but to throw everything into his recovery. After his stroke, Glen attended a local Stroke Association conversation group and has recently run his first half marathon since his stroke.
Glen said: “After my stroke I knew what I wanted to say but my mouth felt like it was full of sand – it was terrifying. I was in hospital learning how to speak again when I should have been at home for my son’s first Christmas. The Stroke Association support group helped me relate to others who have communication problems after stroke, which has really helped me come to terms with life as a stroke survivor.”
The Stroke Association’s Lost for Words campaign aims to raise awareness of the challenges stroke survivors with communication difficulties can face, and help and support available.
Esme Mutter, Regional Director at the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Glen have difficulty communicating, which can be both terrifying and isolating. Since Glen has attended our New Forest Communication Support Group he has gone from strength to strength. We’re so proud of his recovery.”
More than 350,000 people in the UK have aphasia, a communication disability which can be caused by stroke. The Stroke Association is urging people to show their support for stroke survivors who are lost for words and make a donation. For more information, visit www.stroke.org.uk/lostforwords.
Topics
A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is one of the largest causes of disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.
Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and together we can conquer stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at www.stroke.org.uk