Farnborough stroke survivor adds her voice to Lost for Words campaign

Press release -

Farnborough stroke survivor adds her voice to Lost for Words campaign

Farnborough stroke survivor Tracy Anderton, 47, is one of the thousands of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.

Tracy and her husband, Kevin, were walking their dog one morning when she suddenly couldn’t speak. Kevin rushed Tracy back home and quickly dialled 999. At home, Tracy lost all the feeling in the right side of her body.

Kevin said: “For three days after her stroke Tracy couldn’t speak a single word. It was heart breaking and I started to think her voice would never return. On the third day when I called the hospital and they told me I could speak to Tracy over the phone, I felt a huge sense of relief. You don’t realise just how important hearing a voice can be – the thought of never hearing my wife speak again is unbearable.

“Tracy attends two groups run by the Stroke Association in the local area on a regular basis. The groups help Tracy to meet other stroke survivors, and work on her speech. Tracy has been incredible throughout everything; her sheer determination is simply inspirational. I’m so proud of her.”

Tracy said: “Having aphasia is hard work. When people talk fast it really confuses me. I sometimes know the word I want to say, but it doesn’t come out. I find that so frustrating. The Stroke Association gave me a card which lets people know that I have aphasia. I like using this as it makes people slow down and helps me to calm down too.”

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.

Samantha Malkin, Communication Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Tracy have 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. Since Tracy has been attending our local support groups, she’s gone from strength to strength. I’m so proud of her 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

    Angela Macleod

    Press contact Communications Officer Scotland press and Stroke Association research communications 0131 555 7244
    Laura Thomas

    Laura Thomas

    Press contact Communications Officer Wales 07776508594
    Ken Scott

    Ken Scott

    Press contact Press Officer North of England and Midlands 0115 778 8429
    Daisy Dighton

    Daisy Dighton

    Press contact Press Officer London and East of England 02079401358
    Martin Oxley

    Martin Oxley

    Press contact Press Officer South of England 07776 508 646
    Vicki Hall

    Vicki Hall

    Press contact PR Manager Fundraising and local services 0161 742 7478
    Scott Weddell

    Scott Weddell

    Press contact PR Manager Stroke policy, research and Northern Ireland 02075661528
    Katie Padfield

    Katie Padfield

    Press contact Head of PR & Media This team is not responsible for booking marketing materials or advertising
    Out of hours contact

    Out of hours contact

    Press contact Media queries 07799 436008
    Kate Asselman

    Kate Asselman

    Press contact Artist Liaison Lead 07540 518022
    Tell us your story

    Tell us your story

    Press contact 07799 436008

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    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.

    Stroke Association
    City Road
    EC1V 2PR London
    UK