​Heywood stroke survivor adds her voice to Lost for Words campaign

Heywood stroke survivor Ann Gill, 75, is one of the thousands of people living with communication difficulties after a stroke.

Ann Gill, a great-grandmother from Heywood, had a severe stroke in 2015 which left her with no speech at all and affected the movement in her right-hand side. Ann now attends the Stroke Association’s Communication Support Group in Rochdale each week alongside her husband Tommy.

Tommy said: “It’s really helped Ann with her recovery and gives her different tools to help build up her speech.”

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.

Joanne Mundey, Communication Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association, said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Ann 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 Ann has been attending the Communication Support Service 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.