Press release -
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.