Press release -
Derby stroke survivor adds his voice to Lost for Words campaign
Findern stroke survivor Robert Albutt, 54, is one of the hundreds of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.
A father of two, Robert had a stroke on Christmas Day 2015, as his wife Melanie was preparing dinner for their family. Robert’s family were told he wouldn’t make it to Boxing Day and to prepare for the worst. However, Robert came home from hospital three months later and is making considerable progress.
Robert’s stroke left him with expressive aphasia meaning he struggles to find the words he wants to say. He also has weakness in his right arm, and is no longer able to work.
He said: “It’s hard because I want to work but I can’t find the words. It’s frustrating.”
His wife Melanie added: “I’m so proud of him. Although I never want to see a Christmas tree again, it couldn’t have happened on a better day. All our family were around to support us – and thankfully our daughter who is a nurse was here for dinner and called an ambulance. We were told Robert wouldn’t make it but I’ve still got him. It’s made me realise there is always hope. Although his road to recovery will be long, there is so much he can do. Our family has been an amazing support. I always thought we were ordinary, but I now realise we are unique.”
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.
Emma Voyle, Communication Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Roberthave difficulty communicating, which can be both terrifying and isolating. Robert has made considerable progress since his stroke and has really gone from strength to strength. We’re all 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.
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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
