Real life stories
Real life stories
Rose’s aphasia story: “A stroke took my voice away. Singing in The Brain Charity’s choir helped me find it again”
When Rose's ability to speak returned following a stroke, she had a Russian accent.
Category: Social activities
Published: 13 April 2022
Shirley’s syringomyelia story: “Just 8% of people have my rare condition – The Brain Charity stopped me from becoming a recluse”
Shirley was diagnosed with syringomyelia – a fluid-filled cyst known as a syrinx that grows
Category: Social activities
Published: 28 September 2022
Dominick’s AVM story: “I thought I was too young to have a stroke at 24 – The Brain Charity motivated me to keep going”
Dominick learned to walk and talk again following 9-hour brain surgery to remove the arteriovenous
Category: Social activities
Published: 19 April 2022
Pamela’s aphasia story: “I couldn’t speak at all after a stroke – but now I have the confidence to meet new people”
Aphasia affects the ability to speak, understand speech and read and write.
Category: Social activities
Published: 15 March 2021
Laura’s foreign accent syndrome story: “I stopped leaving the house, but at The Brain Charity I’m accepted”
Laura's condition meant she stopped going out.
Category: Social activities
Published: 29 September 2021
Sarah’s brain injury story: “My head turned 180 degrees – The Brain Charity freed me from staring at four walls”
Doctors thought her dystonia and FND were a muscle injury or slipped disc.
Category: Social activities
Published: 15 March 2021
Rachel’s brain haemorrhage story: “I had to relearn how to talk; The Brain Charity has been a lifeline”
She spent 2 weeks in a coma and now struggles with slurred speech.
Category: Social activities
Published: 5 February 2021
Jan’s brain tumour story: “The prospect of doing nothing was daunting; volunteering helped me get back to being me”
Jan was forced to give up her job - now volunteering gives her purpose.
Category: Social activities
Published: 18 October 2021
Hazel’s dementia story: “Dementia took away my husband’s ability to speak; Music Makes Us! helped us reconnect”
Robert, 92, was diagnosed with vascular dementia with Lewy bodies in December 2018.
Category: Social activities
Published: 12 July 2021
Stephen’s COVID-19 story: “It’s no exaggeration to say The Brain Charity was a life saver”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Brain Charity's weekly call was his only social interaction.
Category: Social activities
Published: 30 June 2021