Press release - 20 November 2017 09:32

Camberley stroke survivor adds his voice to Lost for Words campaign

Camberley stroke survivor Paul Earwicker, 73, is one of the thousands of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.

Grandfather of three, Paul, had a stroke in March this year which left him with a communication difficulty called aphasia.

Paul said: “Having aphasia can be frustrating, I sometimes get stuck on my words. I know what I want to say but it just doesn’t come out. I get confused, and sometimes things I say come out the wrong way. Before my stroke I played in a folk band, now I’m relearning how to use instruments so I can join them again. Life after stroke with aphasia is very hard.”

Samantha Malkin, Communication Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Paulhave difficulty communicating, which can be both terrifying and isolating. But with the right help and support, many stroke survivors are able to find new ways to communicate, and can rebuild their lives.

“When I first started supporting Paul I knew just how determined he was to communicate with his loved ones again. Paul has gone from strength to strength. I’m 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 more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year; that is around one stroke every five minutes. 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

Contacts

Angela Macleod

Press contact Communications Officer Scotland press and Stroke Association research communications angela.macleod@stroke.org.uk 0131 555 7244

Laura Thomas

Press contact Communications Officer Wales Laura.Thomas@stroke.org.uk 07776508594

Ken Scott

Press contact Press Officer North of England and Midlands ken.scott@stroke.org.uk 0115 778 8429

Daisy Dighton

Press contact Press Officer London and East of England daisy.dighton@stroke.org.uk 02079401358

Martin Oxley

Press contact Press Officer South of England martin.oxley@stroke.org.uk 07776 508 646

Vicki Hall

Press contact PR Manager Fundraising and local services vicki.hall@stroke.org.uk 0161 742 7478

Scott Weddell

Press contact PR Manager Stroke policy, research and Northern Ireland scott.weddell@stroke.org.uk 02075661528

Katie Padfield

Press contact Head of PR & Media This team is not responsible for booking marketing materials or advertising katie.padfield@stroke.org.uk

Out of hours contact

Press contact Media queries press@stroke.org.uk 0207 566 1528

Kate Asselman

Press contact Artist Liaison Lead kate.asselman@stroke.org.uk 07540 518022

Tell us your story

Press contact stories@stroke.org.uk 07799 436008

The UK's leading stroke charity helping people to rebuild their lives after stroke

The Stroke Association. We believe in life after stroke. That’s why we campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best possible recovery. It’s why we fund research to develop new treatments and ways to prevent stroke. The Stroke Association is a charity. We rely on your support to change lives and prevent stroke. Together we can conquer stroke.