Kent woman bounces back from life-threatening stroke to climb England’s highest mountain

A Kent woman whose family were told to prepare for the worst after she had a severe stroke has celebrated her recovery – by climbing England’s highest mountain.

Margaret Cuttill, 71, from Kemsing, said she “burst into tears and laughter at the same time” when she reached the top of 3,209ft Scafell Pike in the Lake District this summer.

She is sharing her story to mark World Stroke Day on Wednesday 29 October and back the Stroke Association’s call for all stroke survivors to receive the long-term support they need to recover and live well.

Margaret had her stroke in January this year. She had recently retired from running her own swim school but remained very active as leader of the village Girl Guides and enjoying many activities, especially hill walking, badminton, and cycling.

She fell ill after returning home from playing badminton. Assuming her severe headache was a migraine, she went to bed. Her husband, Nigel, 73, called 999 when he heard the thump of Margaret falling out of bed and found her unconscious.

A CT scan at Maidstone Hospital revealed that she had had a haemorrhagic stroke, which is a severe bleed on the brain and around half of this type of stroke can be fatal.

Margaret said: “My family were told to come down to say farewell because ‘it’s too huge she might not recover’. The lights were going out. But it wasn’t my time to go, thank God.

“I can remember going to bed at home and that was it. I have no recollection from then, right round to the following week. The chaplain came round and said ‘My goodness you’re still alive, I wasn’t expecting to see you’.”

Margaret remained in Maidstone Hospital for six weeks, receiving medical care and physiotherapy before being moved to Hollanden Park Hospital for more rehabilitation support before eventually being discharged nine weeks later in early May.

Margaret said: “I experienced severe discomfort and then excruciating pain in various parts of my body which I later learnt was the brain trying to make new connections. In addition, initially I could only move my right arm slightly.

“I was not eating as my sense of taste had changed and I did not sleep much due to the discomfort and pain. My recovery sped up once the pain medication had been adjusted meaning I could sleep and rest.

“First the right arm started moving again, then the left, then the right leg and finally – a month after the stroke – the left leg began to respond and move too. With physiotherapy, exercises, music therapy, psychology, occupational therapy and social activities I worked on and improved in all areas of my recovery - the physical, mental, and emotional.

“Initially my eyesight was quite seriously affected. I could only see the right-hand side of a plate, for example. It’s improved, though I can’t drive yet. I get tired. I used to have a huge amount of energy, but I can’t do as much as I used to.”

Margaret set herself the goal of climbing Scafell Pike once more to fulfil a promise to her friend, Caroline, who wanted to do it to mark a landmark birthday.

Margaret continued: “I had no reason to believe that I could ever do that again, but I religiously did all the exercises, which paid off. The physios looked at me, and we laughed because it just seemed such a complete pie in the sky at the time.

“Who in their right mind would think that if you were virtually dead in February, you’d get up Scafell Pike in August?

“I used the treadmill and ramp, the physios gave me backpacks to carry, and had me walking over uneven ground. They were brilliant. I then started walking up the North Downs to get fit.”

Margaret’s opportunity to climb Scafell Pike came on a family holiday in the Lake District with Nigel, their daughter Tamara, Tamara’s husband Danger, and grandsons Joshua, 13, and Ethen, 10.

She said: “It was the last day of the holiday. I still didn’t think we would get to the top as it was a hell of a walk.

“But when I reached the top, I burst into tears and laughter at the same time. I never thought I would even climb Scafell Pike again. It was terribly emotional, people had tears in their eyes and a French man even asked if he could give me a hug! It was wonderful.”

After leaving hospital, Margaret was supported by the Stroke Association’s West Kent Stroke Recovery Service, giving her guidance, information and reassurance to help her recovery.

Her ascent of Scafell Pike was praised by Nick O’Donohue, the charity’s associate director for the South East.

Nick said: “Margaret’s achievement is inspirational and reflects the determination stroke survivors have to overcome their disabilities and live the best life they can.

“Margaret speaks highly of the rehabilitation she received but sadly, in many parts of the country, rehabilitation support is scarcely available and not provided in the dose and intensity required.

“The Stroke Association’s World Stroke Day plea is for stroke to be prioritised by the Government and the NHS. Only then will stroke patients get the treatment they need, whenever they need it, so the increasing number of UK stroke survivors can live mentally and physically well.”

For more information about stroke and the support services for survivors and carers in Kent, visit www.stroke.org.uk or call the Stroke Support Helpline on 0303 3033 100.