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​Essex stroke survivor shares their first glimmer of hope

Press release -

​Essex stroke survivor shares their first glimmer of hope

Harriet Cooper from Chelmsford is supporting the Stroke Association’s ‘Hope After Stroke’ Christmas appeal, after surviving a life-threatening stroke.

Without even realising, Harriet, 31, had a stroke last September. Harriet spent two weeks feeling unwell before going to hospital, and when doctors saw the severity of her stroke, they couldn’t believe she was still alive.

Harriet recalls: “Last year I was looking to buy a new horse and I was doing various viewings across the UK. A young horse I saw, reared as I mounted. Though I didn’t fall off, the action of the rear snapped my neck backwards. I wasn’t in pain – I shrugged it off as a simple jolt and carried on my day.

“At the time I didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later when I was at the point of buying a horse that I realised something wasn’t right. The horse failed the vetting which was really upsetting. At the same time as finding this out, my brain suddenly went foggy, as if someone had flipped a switch inside my head. I became less responsive and felt dizzy. I remember the horse managed to bite my finger because I didn’t move it quickly enough. I had to stand up propping myself against a wall, I couldn’t work out what was happening.

“As I drove home I called my dad and during the call I remember mentioning to him my eye sight went odd a few times – it was like it was flickering in and out of vision. When I arrived home I struggled to walk to my house, and when I managed to get indoors I threw up. I put it down to being hungry and still feeling stressed from the day I’d had. However I couldn’t stop being sick, and that evening and to walk round the house I had to hold onto the walls.”

Harriet went to sleep and the next morning she managed to travel to work. Harriet said: “Walking was really hard, I feel up the stairs at the train station. My colleagues at work knew something wasn’t right and became increasingly worried for me as the day went on. By the end of the day I was holding onto anything I could to just get one foot in front of the other.

“I somehow managed to get through the day and made it back home that evening. I went straight to bed and in the night I remember waking up and not being able to hear anything. I went back to sleep thinking it will be better by the morning. But the next morning I woke up feeling really bad. I knew I needed medical help, so with the help from a friend I went to hospital.

“At the time I really felt like I was wasting the doctor’s time. I knew I was unwell, but I didn’t think it was anything serious, I thought maybe an ear infection as I had lost my co-ordination. It’s only when I mentioned the horse accident, that they decided a CT scan would be a good idea.”

The scan of Harriet showed 50% damage to the mobility area of her brain. Doctors believe that the stroke was caused by the incident with the horse which severed her spinal cord arteries. Harriet was immediately admitted to the Broomfield Hospital stroke ward, where doctors warned her of the severity of her stroke.

Harriet adds: “I remember asking the doctor if I would horse ride again, and he said that I may not make it of hospital alive, let alone ride a horse again.

“Two out of four of my arteries were severed. In medical terms, I should be dead as you shouldn’t be able to function with more than one artery dissected. My case was so rare that doctors were speaking to specialist medical professionals in America to try to understand more.

“The first night was really scary and I honestly thought I was going to die. I still didn’t really believe this was happening to me. Everyday things were really challenging for me; walking to the toilet, showering and even just having visitors made me tired. I wanted to be home so badly, so I started pushing myself. I began walking up and down the hospital corridors; slowly going further and further, then faster and faster until I was jogging. This is the moment I had a glimmer of hope that my life was nowhere near over; and that I would beat this. I dug deep for the determination I needed at this point and pushed myself – I didn’t want to be on this ward or in that hospital bed. In the evenings I would make hot chocolate for the other ladies on my ward, a task which would had been simple before my stroke, but making and carrying hot drinks after my stroke was really hard. But every time I did something like this, the hope grew – I knew I could do this!

“I spent six days recovering in hospital, kept under two hourly observation. I was so determined to keep going; I even took agile working to the extreme - working on my laptop in my hospital bed. Though the doctors would have preferred I stayed in longer, they allowed me to be discharged and go home to recover. Being very independent it was really hard to accept I couldn’t do everything myself, but I continued to push myself. At first just walking my dog was really hard. I was able to walk my dog a little further each day. Whilst I’ve made a good recovery, each day I'm still seeing improvements, I do still live with some effects of my stroke; like fatigue, heighten emotions and I’m a little clumsier.

“Just over two months later I bought an older horse called Mr Bean. Mr B has been a big part of my recovery. Building my confidence back up as well as my stamina. Together we have done so much in a year, including fundraising and winning a charity dressage show in March. After my last CT scan in August which showed my arteries have healed, I was able to start jumping again. What an amazing feeling to be able to fly again!”

Harriet is asking people to make a donation to the Stroke Association’s work supporting survivors and their families, as they rebuild their lives this Christmas. ‘ Support to get through this is so important, I not only hope sharing my experience raises awareness to others my age - as I put off a lot of the signs before getting checked, but also would love to raise more for funding research which ultimately saved my life, as my case was rare.’

Tara Lakin, Head of Stroke Support at the Stroke Association said: “When someone’s life has been shattered by stroke, they may feel all hope is gone. But we also know that stroke survivors cling onto even the smallest glimmer of hope. This is what powers them on to achieve what many thought would be impossible. I’ve heard so many stories of remarkable people making recoveries even 20 years after their stroke.”

The charity estimates that there are 19,542people living with the effects of stroke across Essex, while around 100,000people have a stroke in the UK every year.

“This pandemic has had a serious impact on our ability to raise funds through our usual community events and activities. Many people in our support services have praised the support they received from the Stroke Association, to build on that first glimmer of hope so that they could rebuild their lives after stroke. Hope might be found in a call to our Helpline; through the friendship and support of our online community; or the ongoing support of our Stroke Association Support Coordinators. Rebuilding lives is impossible without hope. And that’s why we’re asking everyone in Essex to donate to the Stroke Association and help give someone the gift of hope this Christmas.”

To donate or for more information about stroke and the vital role that hope plays in stroke recovery and rebuilding lives, please visit www.stroke.org.uk/hope

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  • Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant.
  • The Stroke Association is a charity working across the UK to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke. We believe that everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. From local support services and groups, to online information and support, anyone affected by stroke can visit stroke.org.uk or call our dedicated Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100 to find out about support available locally.
  • Our specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the courage and determination of the stroke community and the generosity of our supporters. With more donations and support, we can help rebuild even more lives.
  • You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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

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.

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