Press release -
Leicester stroke survivor finds her voice
Leicester resident Vickie Bulman, 52, is on the road to recovery after experiencing a stroke which caused her to re-learn how to read and write.
Vickie was a full-time working mum when she had a life-changing stroke in June 2012. After experiencing facial cramps, Vickie was rushed to hospital where she had surgery and was put in a medically induced coma, while her family was told to expect the worst. Now dependent on her husband, Vickie’s stroke has left her with limited mobility on her left side, affected speech and has also resulted in her re-learning how to read and write.
Vickie said: “Life is completely different since my stroke, but I’m not going to let it beat me. I’m taking my recovery one day at a time, and I’m so grateful to the Stroke Association for their support.”
Vickie is one of more than 350,000 people in the UK who was left with aphasia, a communication disability which can affect people’s ability to speak, read, write, use numbers and understand but not their intelligence. Aphasia is caused by stroke, head injury or other neurological conditions.
Jenny King, Family and Carer Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association, supported Vickie throughout her recovery. She said: “Life has changed completely for Vickie, yet despite all the challenges she has faced, she has a very positive attitude and sheer determination to make the best of her situation.
“Having aphasia can be so frustrating because many stroke survivors know what to say, but are unable to make themselves understood. Seemingly ordinary tasks like buying a pint of milk or using money can feel very stressful, and it is easy to lose confidence. Many people with aphasia can feel very isolated as a result.
“If people working in shops, cafes, banks and a huge variety of other customer service roles know about the disability and follow a few of our simple tips, the barriers to communication can be start to be broken down.”
The Stroke Association is raising awareness of aphasia and how people in the community can help support stroke survivors affected by the condition. To support this campaign, you can go to stroke.org.uk/aphasia or search for #aphasia on social media.
The Stroke Association provides a Family & Carer Support Service in Leicestershire, in partnership with Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group. For more information about stroke, ring the Helpline on 0303 30 33 100 or visit www.stroke.org.uk.
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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
