Press release -
Berkshire stroke survivor adds his voice to Lost for Words campaign
Berkshire stroke survivor Larry Miller, 59, is one of the hundreds of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.
Musician and singer-songwriter Larry was 58 when he had a stroke in 2015. Before his stroke, Larry had released ten albums and toured across the UK. The stroke left Larry with the communication disability aphasia, and weakness in the right side of his body.
Larry now attends the Stroke Association’s Wokingham Stroke Support and Recovery Group, and has recently managed to return to the studio with some of his band members to practice playing his guitar again.
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.
Peggy Johns, Stroke Recovery Coordinator from the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Larryhave difficulty communicating, which can be both terrifying and isolating.
“Since Larry has been attending the Wokingham Stroke Support and Recovery Group he has gone from strength to strength. I’m so proud of his recovery. The group had only ever heard Larry say a few words until recently when Larry had the confidence to stand in front of the group and recite the lyrics to one of his songs. It was an incredible moment.”
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
