"Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’.”
Audrey Hepburn
For many of us, having a stroke and the after effects can feel so lonely. The thing to remember as stroke survivors is that we ARE NOT alone! In fact, stroke awareness is on the rise, and in this day and age - it’s usually supported or backed up by those in the famous sector of the world.
Recently Emilia Clarke (The Mother of Dragons on the show Game of Thrones, HBO) revealed that she had suffered from a massive stroke in 2011, on top of 2 aneurysms in her brain!! The events of her strokes left her unable to remember even her name - like some of us can empathize. She has recently partnered with The Stroke Association, a UK based company bringing awareness to the effects of stroke on millions worldwide. “The Stroke Association and SameYou are joining forces to invest in research to transform stroke rehabilitation services, and to tackle the stigma of stroke by raising awareness of this devastating condition among young adults,” Stroke Association, 2019.
Other famous people that have suffered from a stroke:
Bill Paxton
Luke Perry
Charles Schulz (Peanuts creator)
Bach
Gene Kelly
Della Reese (also became a spokeswoman for the National Stroke Association)
Mae West
Glenn Ford
Al Capone
Mel Blanc
Charles Dickens
Cary Grant
Margaret Thatcher
Dick Clark
Winston Churchill
Rue McClanahan (Golden Girls)
Did you know...
“Strokes are also common in presidents. Ten U.S. presidents likely suffered strokes, according to a study Biller and colleagues published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower suffered strokes while in office, and Roosevelt's stroke was fatal. Seven other presidents suffered apparent strokes after leaving office: John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Johnson, Chester Arthur, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford”, according to ScienceDaily.com.
What’s the bottom line?
Strokes are increasingly becoming a HUGE factor in long term disability for millions around the world. We have a GLOBAL epidemic on our hands in terms of stroke-causing factors. Though we don’t all know the EXACT causes of strokes, we do know how we can lessen our probability of having one. Eating power foods for your brain, exercising consistently and properly under the care of therapists or those otherwise qualified, managing the emotional impact and learning to ask for help and support are all key factors in preventing strokes from occurring or happening again. Trust me, I worry about it too - we all do!
The good news? Awareness is spreading, recovery IS possible, and with the help of us all working and collaborating together - we can work effectively to find ample research and studies to help us recover - and prevent it from happening to future generations. Just remember - YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
If you ever need to talk, vent, or just get it out - email us and chat, we will get back to you within 24-48 hours as best we can. Click here.
Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day.