Real life stories

Rose at The Brain Charity's centre

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 at home

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, who received support from The Brain Charity after experiencing an AVM

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 stroke and aphasia story

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 and her wife Debbie

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

The Brain Charity supported Sarah following a traumatic brain injury

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 talks about the support she received from The Brain Charity in Liverpool

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 enjoys volunteering on The Brain Charity reception

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 and Robert

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 says The Brain Charity was a life saver

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