Hand in Hand

In 2013, Chris Tuley had a stroke at the age of 27. With zero family history of stroke, no risk factors, and no obvious genetic disorders, doctors determined the stroke was caused by a spontaneous vertebral artery dissection. Unfortunately dissections are one of the leading causes of strokes in younger people. After spending months in therapy to correct the loss of his vestibular function, Chris fully recovered, however he had lingering nerve pain in his face that was getting progressively worse. Chris was diagnosed with central poststroke pain syndrome and received treatment at Vanderbilt’s Pain Management Clinic. After trying over 25 medications, nerve blocks, Botox injections, and eastern medicine therapies with little to no relief, Chris was desperate and despondent. Chris was told his future was likely to be filled with an increasing amount of opiates that only provided temporary pain relief. Luckily fate stepped in as Chris’ pain management doctor shared his story with a Vanderbilt neurosurgeon who specializes in deep brain stimulation. In 2016 Chris received deep brain and motor cortex stimulators to treat his chronic pain. Since the surgery, Chris has found major pain relief and is no longer on any opiates or any other pain relief medication. Chris is now an advocate for stroke education, chronic pain management, and the use of deep brain stimulation for pain management (which is still not cleared by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration).

Elyse is an occupational therapist from Chattanooga, TN. She worked as a travel therapist across the country before returning home in 2019 to take a home health care position. Since she started working she’s recognized that the U.S. healthcare system is broken. She’s seen and heard time and again from survivors that they don’t get the education, quantity, or quality of therapy they need. This is the 2nd part of the interview in which Elyse goes on to details to explain what she means by low cost but high quality. Exactly the type of support survivors need.

Elyse is an occupational therapist from Chattanooga, TN. She worked as a travel therapist across the country before returning home in 2019 to take a home health care position. Since she started working she’s recognized that the U.S. healthcare system is broken. She’s seen and heard time and again from survivors that they don’t get the education, quantity, or quality of therapy they need. This is the part 1 of the interview in which Elyse focuses on her story and what made her decide to start her journey to provide additional resource survivors and family needs.

Traveling Caregivers, a grassroots hope-faith based organization, is bridging the gap between self care while navigating a multitude of Caregiving concerns with a holistic lifestyle and advocacy. Dawn Renee founder of the Traveling Caregivers, a holistic caregiver, Reiki energy and Ayurvedic practitioner struggled for most of her life to understand the triggers that were causing her to experience migraines, allergies, Endometriosis, auto immune disorder, Diabetes II, Lyme, Epstein Bar, mold exposure, gallstones and chronic fatigue. Over the past decade with a holistic nature based lifestyle approach she has devoted her life to uncovering ways to self care and healing her own disorders while holding space for others and helping them find their own recipe to self care, balance, healing, and hope. For the last 5.5 years she has been a live in caregiver caring for a friend with stage 4 ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Scloerosis (aka Lou Gherig’s disease). Her friend is bedridden, on a ventilator, feeding tube, catheter requiring 24/7 care and support. Navigating caregiving at whatever level you are needing can easily be one of the most challenging tasks you may experience. Currently there are 54 million unpaid caregivers in the United States many of whom are just now trying to figure out how to manage their new challenges to living their lives while caring for a friend or loved one. Traveling Caregivers was created as a way to bring light to caregivers, to be a source of hope, encouragement and resources for those seeking holistic solutions to balance self care while they are caring for others. Dawn brings a creative and innovative approach to caregiving and is passionate about sharing her message of self care through her own personal caregiving experiences to inspire hope for others.

Mark Garman went through a traumatic event at the age of 15 that altered my life forever. Mark had brain surgery to remove an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that was causing him to have seizures. During that surgery he suffered a stroke- along with other complications that changed his life forever. With any drastic, life altering change, in one’s life- it came with some getting used to. Mark took it in stride, overcame the odds, and conquered all obstacles in my way. As the years went by, it became apparent that everything happens for a reason. Not only was that embedded in his mind, but his motto became "My Choices Determine My Future."

Bill just celebrated the fact that his stroke occurred 17 years ago when he was 68 and still working every day to improve, even though most people see him as someone who has made a complete recovery. Bill had a career as a teacher, a salesman, and an executive in two different food companies. And now his life is devoted to helping other stroke survivors to be inspired with their own recovery. Listen to Bill and Professor Patricia Geist-Martin share this wonderful story.

Deborah & Cam discuss how easily anyone can make simple adjustments to improve their life while in the process of recovery and beyond. Life after TBI may not be what you had envisioned; it can be better, a new normal - taking you places, meeting people you never dreamed, living a happy, healthy life. Deborah’s award winning book Becoming the Healer The Miracle of Brain Injury is packed full of helpful ideas for those going through medical trauma and those who care for them. She has moved to North Carolina where she founded Awakenings: Center for Inner Healing & Empowerment – a non-profit spiritual retreat & healing center as well as developing healing tools like Pocket Change to help others with positive change in a fun and easy way. You may contact Deborah through the center at deborah@AwakeningsCenterNC.com or by phone at 828-645-9711 or through her Facebook page.

Mary Nicholson, Founder of Healings in Motion, was a successful businesswoman. After suffering a life-altering stroke, her biggest venture became the reclamation of her life. Her journey of change began with a broken heart, after the devastating loss of her newlywed husband to Pancreatic Cancer. Her mourning was so severe and painful that Mary was hospitalized twice. She could not believe that the love that swept her off her feet was now gone. While grieving, Mary had a brain aneurysm and was rushed to the hospital. While on the operating table, she then suffered an ischemic stroke, grand mal seizure and a frozen shoulder. Her injuries left her without the ability to drive, walk or even make a complete sentence. But Mary knew that her body, mind and soul were her #1 business and priority. With this focus, she worked relentlessly to gain back her strength and engaged with organizations that worked with others with disabilities. This led to her to coordinate and sponsor the 1st Central Valley Learning Disability Fair. The success of this event, her love of helping others and bringing people together led Mary to establish Healings in Motion.

George Scola is a stroke survivor. Many years ago, stroke disrupted his thriving career in finance. Undeterred, he started the Stroke Survivors Foundation to champion the cause for stroke survivors. He now also serves on the board of the World Stroke Organization. George has long held the vision that post discharge support is crucial to stroke survivors and a better stroke care. He is now working with Strokefocus to roll out a PDSS program in South Africa and beyond.

Vince is a fitness enthusiast and an olympic weightlifter hobbyist. At 28 years old he suffered an ischemic stroke that left him with hemiparesis on the 4th of July 2016. Vince credits being extremely blessed and remaining focused on positivity throughout rehab and onto recovery outside of the facility with making progress over the 3 years since his stroke. Vince views recovery as an ongoing challenge and sees this as an opportunity to share his story. With an emphasis on community, Vince has participated in online campaigns to raise awareness for stroke. Vince is learning to share what he believes are words of positivity and encouragement. He even says that this hurdle was given to him to show others what a survivor can beat with resolve.

Today, our panel of stroke and brain injury survivors will talk to Dr Cynthia Wilson, an art therapist with 15 years of experience on what art therapy can do to stroke recovery. According to Dr Wilson, art Therapists are masters level trained individuals who use the combination of the creative arts and mental health counseling to promote the positive mental health of people of all ages. Art Therapy has been proven to reduce stress and increase confidence. Dr Wilson believes art is a universal language that can be very healing for even those individuals experiencing the greatest depths of hopelessness. She has created the founder of the Unique Imaging Art Therapy Program which enables individuals to express themselves in a way that expands their vision of their place in the world. Her clientele has included children, adults and geriatrics in group, family and individual settings. Her solutions include art therapy, play therapy, and photo therapy techniques to children, adolescents, adults, older adults and families.

This is a special episode. Dr Ayesha Hunter, who is a prime expert in post stroke trauma, met with survivors and support group leaders to discuss post stroke psychological challenges. Strokefocus will work with Healings In Motion to offer a series of such discussions. If you would like to participate and meet the professionals directly, sign up at https://discovery.strokefocus.net/him

Mark Vega is an attorney and a runner. He suffered a major ischemic on 6/22/15 and a second major ischemic on 1/11/16. Luckily, Mark recovered extremely well from both incidents. He even ran marathons after that and has run longer distances too. He is a practicing lawyer and still does that working in technology, entertainment and media. He is an Army Veteran and volunteers as the Judge Advocate for American Legion Hollywood Post 43. Since the strokes he sees his work and volunteer life center around people in transition. These include Stroke Survivors, Veterans, Trans and LGBTQ people and members of 12-Step Recovery programs.

Multistem®, a drug-like cell therapy to treat stroke with adult stem cells is developed by Athersys (ATH-er-sis), a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded by a group of leading scientists in 1995. In Episode 91, we interviewed Sharon Thomas, a survivor who experienced miraculous recovery after given multistem. Athersys is conducting the Phase 3 clinical trials for MultiStem®. During Phase 2 trials in the U.S, the studies showed that MultiStem® could extend the treatment window for ischemic stroke patients to 36 hours, compared to the 3 or 4 hour window to treat patients with TPA. That meant individuals who may have had a stroke in their sleep, or patients who did not recognize the symptoms right away, might still have a favorable outcome with MultiStem® versus TPA. Multistem® has obtained FDA’s Fast Track designation. It is also in Phase 3 studies in Japan. Our guest today is Gil Van Bokkelen, CEO of Athersys, who will share with us exciting progress of Multistem®.

At age 26, Paul Coyne had to leave Goldman Sachs because of the residual of the stroke that happened to him. Undeterred, Paul returned to school to prove that despite a challenging stroke recovery and a congenital heart disease, he is still capable of great success. In the next 4-years, Paul obtained 5 degrees including a Doctorate from Columbia University School of Nursing as well as an MBA in Healthcare Management and a MS, Finance from Northeastern University. In addition, with his friend Michael Wang, Paul launched Inspiren, which is rapidly gaining traction in the medical world, leveraging Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize the nursing process. Today, Dr. Coyne is a board-certified nurse practitioner in Adult-Gerontology with sub-specialty in palliative care and his writings on end-of-life care have been published in academic journals. Columbia named him one of 9 great graduates of their entire university of 2016 upon completion of his doctorate. Listen to his remarkable story and get to know Dr Coyne.

Sharon Thomas was a road construction worker in Oregon, whose life took an unexpected turn at age 45 when she collapsed with a massive stroke that left her unable to walk, talk or even swallow. Her stroke struck one night while she was clearing dishes after dinner at her parents' house near Roseburg, Oregon. Her father noted that something was wrong with Sharon and that she may be having a stroke. She felt herself falling--knowing she was going to fall but not why--and was caught by John, her husband. Sharon was airlifted from a nearby hospital to OHSU in Portland. John was told to prepare for a long period of rehab for Sharon and that life would never return to normal. Fortunately, doctors at OHSU told John about a trial for a cell therapy from Athersys, Inc., called MultiStem. The study was double blind and it was disclosed after the Phase 2 trial ended that Sharon did not receive a placebo. She did receive MultiStem. After a period of physical, occupational and speech therapy, Sharon returned to work, which required lifting 30-pound sandbags and driving heavy road construction equipment. She returned to coaching basketball and because of her continued recovery, Sharon felt confident enough to change jobs recently to work in an all-new field.

Scott is the CEO of NEOFECT USA, and one of the founders of its parent company, NEOFECT. The med tech company creates gamified rehabilitation solutions for patients recovering from or living with stroke, dementia, aer musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Scott wore several different hats before joining NEOFECT, including as a management consultant and a product manager in the software industry. Scott worked for mobile gaming companies such as GREE, Z2Live (which was acquired by King.com, a "Candy Crush" maker that was later acquired by Activision Blizzard) and 505 Games, and founded a couple of startups. NEOFECT went on an IPO in November 2018, currently traded on the KOSDAQ. Scott was born with spinal bifida and has undergone surgery and understands the long process of rehabilitation. Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly. It falls under the broader category of neural tube defects. His prior experience in the gaming software industry has also contributed to his ability to create the games and software.

Bob Mandell’s dedication to helping others stricken by stroke has led to a new career path as author, stroke coach, speaker and founder of the Stroke Recovery Foundation, whose mission is to improve post-stroke lifestyles through education, awareness, activism, advocacy, and knowledgeable resource navigation. In his prior life, he was a corporate marketing executive, partner in an international management consulting firm, an adjunct professor at Fairfield University, and an entrepreneur in the telecommunications field. He earned his M.S. in Business from Penn State and his B.B.A. from Pace University in New York.

Kris Tucker is a 49 year old stroke survivor from Sydney, Australia. Kris suffered a stroke 6 years ago at the age of 43. He was in a rain aneurysm surgery to clip the aneurysm when he suffered a stroke. Kris would like to share all the things he has learned in the last 6 years with other people affected by stroke. Kris believes that if someone had done this with him, his marathon journey would have been a lot easier. He is putting together a stroke survivor's guide to life after stroke. The guide touches mobility, balance, essential life skills and how to stimulate the cognitive thinking.

Emory Moe or Emo is 67 years old. He had a stroke in 2014 at the age of 63. Emo worked for decades as a computer engineer. Additionally, he had been a professional rock n' roll bass player with about 200 musical dates a year. Life was good and extremely busy. In October 2014, Emo was working on a software project when he suddenly went completely blind. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital emergency room, where people completely misdiagnosed his stroke. They thought there was something wrong with Emo’s eyes, so they sent Emo home and told him to call his doctor in the next seven to ten days. Emo called his doctor right away who had him go to an ophthalmologist to get my eyes checked out. The ophthalmologist said my eyes were fine. So the doctor referred him to a neurologist. The neurologist immediately sent Emo for an MRI where they determined that Emo had had a stroke. They always say you should get stroke treatment immediately, but by this time it was four or five days later. Emo is grateful that he does not have any paralysis or speech problems, although he has a little trouble keeping his balance sometimes. Over a few months, his eyesight gradually came back about 80%, but Emo still has peripheral blindness in the upper left quadrant of both eyes. The initial blindness was such a devastating problem that it took him several months to realize that he had also lost a lot of cognitive function. Emo’s wife has had to take over all the family finances, including paying all the bills. Emo has been doing his best to utilize the exercises on Luminosity.com and BrainHQ.com, but the exercises that seem difficult with minimal results so far. Emo is blessed with a wonderful wife who is very sympathetic and understanding. He does not know what he'd do without her. Listen to Emo as he shares his story with Cam, our host.

Bringing stroke care to those who do not have access is the mission for Stroke Association Support network- Ghana, which is a non profit, non governmental organization established by a small group of Ghanaians on 16th March, 2012. In Ghana, there are only 4 hospitals in the south of the country who provides stroke care to survivors. Stroke Association Support network- Ghana is working hard to change that. With its successful experiment, Stroke Association Supportnetwork- Ghana was nominated for the African Youth SDGs Award in the* LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND *category. Today, Dr Ben Jabuni, the president of Stroke Association Support network- Ghana will share with you their exciting progress and big dreams they work hard to turn into reality.

This is our second interview with Manny Gigante. As you recall, Manny was a hardworking young technologist whose dream was shattered by a stroke at the age of 29. He spent the next 2 years in a wheelchair. In 2005, Manny lost his son due to a tragic accident. None of this has kept Manny from reinventing himself. Now Manny enjoys his time coaching kids. He got out of his wheelchair. Manny is also working to start his new career In today's episode, listen to Manny sharing his insights on topics including the plateau and how survivors could reinventing ourselves.

Marty Zimmerman is a survivor. Five years ago at the age of 25 he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke due to a brain AVM. His left side was weakened, but much has returned since March 7, 2013. Marty wrote a book about the incident and my recovery. It is entitled "Life Interrupted - The Story of a Young Stroke Survivor." Marty lves in his hometown of Greencastle, PA. He graduated from Messiah College and earned a Master's degree in applied history from Shippensburg University in December 2017. Marty currently works as a part-time deli clerk at Kline's Grocery Store and as a part-time instructor for the Remfrew Institute. He is the oldest of three. Besides working Marty spends his time going to the gym, taking day trips, spending time with family, writing faith based poetry, sharing his story with groups throughout the area, reading, and studying history. Life is sweet again.

A brain aneurysm occurs when a weak spot in your brain’s arterial wall bulges and fills with blood. It may also be called an intracranial aneurysm or cerebral aneurysm. A brain aneurysm is a potentially life-threatening condition that can affect a person at any age. If a brain aneurysm bursts, it’s an emergency situation that can result in a stroke, brain damage, and even death if not treated immediately. Listen to Tracy Faulkner, a pharmacist and an aneurysm survivor tell you what she knows about aneurysm.

17 years ago, Marc and Harriet had a peaceful and beautiful life in Florida. Marc worked for Disney. He is also a broadcast enthusiast. He loved his studio. Harriet is a Pharm D in Pharmacy and a well-seasoned pharmacist. Their beautiful life was disrupted by Marc’s stroke, which happened totally out of blue. After that, they faced many challenges, including loss of job and lack of support. They never gave up. They tried out many things that can be helpful for other survivors and caregivers to know. Today, Marc and Harriet help out with the Young Stroke Organization to help spread what they have learned.

The Anat Baniel Method®/NeuroMovement® is an intervention that uses gentle movement to create new connections in the brain. For stroke survivors, NeuroMovment offers a way to tap into the power of neuroplasticity and re-map the neural connections lost in a stroke. This summer, Cam Compton had the opportunity to work with Tessa Thompson and Nadia Vizitei, two certified NeuroMovement practitioners working in St. Louis, MO. In this interview, Cam talks with Tessa and Nadia about what NeuroMovement is, how it was developed, and how it can help stroke survivors. Listen to Tessa and Nadia discussing this new method with our host Cam.

Ted Baxter has an extraordinary life. With his scholastic achievement, he managed to fund his own college education. He then built his new financial services consulting practice in Japan. All this changed when Ted was hit by a stroke at the age of 41. He had no warning signs, no TIA. He was healthy as a horse, an avid exerciser, and took great care of himself. But due to his job, he spent a lot of time on airplanes and including long airplane trips, and this could be a major cause of his stroke - which as he tells his story in the book, unbeknownst to him, he had a deep vein thrombosis or DVT in his right shin that broke loose. Listen to his story

Alison Shapiro was a successful business woman and a visual artist when she was hit by 2 devastating brain stem strokes in 2002 at the age of 55. This life changing event turned her into a leader, an author and educator in the stroke community. Alison not only recovered from the injury but published her inspiring book, Healing into Possibilities and her DVD, What Now?: Sharing Brain Recovery Lessons. A strong believer of neuroplasticity, Alison runs a website healingintopossibiliy.com and provides coaching information to people who are interested in leveraging mindfulness to recover from stroke. Alison is the cofounder of Strokefocus. In Sept 2012, Daniel suffered a brain stem stroke. Through the internet, Daniel found Alison who has been mentoring and coaching Daniel ever since. Daniel recovered remarkably well from the injury. In order to turn their experience into something that can help many people, Alison encouraged Daniel to start Strokefocus in 2014. Alison has been involved in a number of recovery focused research projects. She created a successful stroke recovery training program which she teaches in California and Virginia.

Denise Bourne is a member of the Unlimited Possibilities. A local stroke and TBI support group in Atlanta which is the flagship group in Brain Injury Association of Georgia. Denise’s life took an unexpected turn 31 years ago. She was a Ph.D. student when suddenly everything was derailed by a Traumatic Brain Injury. Things were very hard. It seemed that no one could understand what Denise was going through. One day, Denise found the Unlimited Possibilities which changed her life. Today, Denise is very heavily involved in running the local group with friends who had similar experience. She is a strong advocate of local support groups to stroke and brain injury community. They are making a great difference.

Clem Sudder is a stroke survivor, a member of the Unlimited Possibilities. A local stroke and TBI support group in Georgia and a flagship group in Brain Injury Association of Georgia. Clem has played a very important role in helping Unlimited Possibilities grow. He offers some very unique perspectives on many issues around Stroke and TBI recovery. Encouraged by his fellow group members, Clem started a vlog. Currently, Clem is running an online support group. You can join Clem each Friday at 3 pm Eastern Standard Time. There is no cost. As long as you have a good internet connection, you can join via a smartphone, a tablet or a computer connected with a webcam and a microphone.

Naomi Beigel is a stroke survivor. On April 8 of 2010, she went in for a full hip replacement. This was not the first surgery she had after having aortic valve replacement done in 1989. Naomi was in critical condition for three days. Doctors were very concerned that she would not make it. Naomi realized her left side didn't work at all. But she was able to talk. During that time, a nurse who came to do her vitals asked if she was a stroke patient. Naomi said no. And the nurse told her she was now. A male nurse asked Naomi to tell her husband she had a stroke. NO doctor visited him for several hours when he arrived at the hospital. Initially, doctors told her husband she wouldn’t able to drive. They even canceled her car insurance. Naomi never gave up. She was very aggressive with therapies. She staid in the hospital for over six weeks. Since 2010 Naomi took on all kinds of occupational and physical therapies. She learned to set small and achievable goals. She worked through a lot of frustration and anger. Naomi is determined that she would live the lives the best she could. As her husband was nearing retirement, she didn't want him to have to push a wheelchair around so she tried everything she could to learn to walk again. She even found a volunteering position at the local police department. This volunteer work helped her speech improve noteably. Naomi and her husband traveled at least three times to Hawaii then Aruba and St. Martin and a lot of family gatherings they had learned how to set up a bathroom so she could be safe in it. In April 2017, she went on a 15-day cruise through the Panama Canal. She did not know that her husband would fall sick after they landed back in LA May 4. Naomi started to take care of him until he passed September 2 my life was taking care of him. Naomi is now working to deal with the stroke and loss of her best friend for 52 years, her late husband, Rich. Naomi has learned when she gets frustrated, she could say to herself three things she is grateful for that she can do. It does help. She is a firm believer where there is a will there is a way. Listen to her interview with Cam.

Stroke does not discriminate. It does not spare the beautiful Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus, whose history dated back to 8200 BC. Stroke support in Cyprus had a lot to be desired. There was not a lot of social awareness around stroke. Government support was minimal. Marina Charalambous, a speech therapist decided to change it. She set up the Cyprus Stroke Association and started building support network ground up. It is not easy but Marina is making progress step by step. She helped a Ph.D. student who suffered a stroke to return to her study back in the UK. Listen to her interview with Cam and learn more about the stroke care in Cyprus.

Kathryn Dunning became a stroke survivor at the age of 35. She was an avid runner, participating in various races and marathons whenever she could. She was young, active and healthy – suffering from a stroke in her sleep was the last thing she was expecting. She later found out her stroke was due to a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a congenital hole in the heart. About 25% of the population has a PFO, and although most of these patients do not experience strokes, sometimes a blood clot can pass through the hole in the heart and up to the brain causing a stroke. This can happen to people of all ages and multiple times without the presence of typical risk factors. After her diagnosis, Kathryn underwent a procedure to close the hole in her heart and has now been stroke-free for 8 years. Since the procedure, Kathryn is able to run again and return to her normal lifestyle—the best gift of all. Now, she has made it her mission to raise awareness about PFO and share her experience with others so they can be their own biggest advocates and take charge of their own health.

Bill is a Generation X Stroke Survivor. He woke up on the morning of June 3, 2017, with a blood clot in his basal ganglia, which robbed him of the use of his left arm and leg. With a lot of work and physical therapy, Bill relearned how to walk, albeit with a nifty cane. His arm is getting better. Bill is optimistic that one day he’ll get my fingers back. Professionally, Bill is a corporate trainer and product evangelist, primarily focused on the technology industry. He has worked for some of the world’s largest corporations, including Toshiba and Microsoft. He has done media interviews at major tradeshows for broadcast around the world, and he has appeared on QVC multiple times. I’m always looking for new opportunities to speak, write, teach, and travel. Bill is a podcaster who drove the creation of podcast based training in US electronics retail. He is also a regular guest on the Caffeinated Comic podcast, a Chicago-based show covering the comic book, geek, and pop culture content and issues. Bill also host the 2-Minute Talk Tips podcast where he helps folks become more effective public speakers in as little as 2 minutes a week. In February 2018, Bill launched the Strokecast podcast where he explores rehab, recovery, the frontiers of neuroscience, and one-handed banana peeling. He plans to use this platform to share his story and the stories of other stroke survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and others impacted by stroke. Personally, he lives in Seattle, WA, with his long-term girlfriend. Bill grew up in Queens, NY, and went to college in Helena, MT. He had a great time and education as part of the Carroll College Talking Saints, the school’s award-winning Speech and Debate team.

Rick was a successful business owner in Ontario when he was hit by a stroke in March 2015. He had no warning sign. He was very healthy except some back problems. When the stroke happened, he did not have bad headaches but a very severe back pain. Rick was rushed to the hospital and no one could recognize he had a stroke, although he could not balance himself and had to sit in a wheelchair. The doctors told him to see a heart specialist when another attacked made him unable to handle things with his right hand. At that time, a doctor identified that Rick was having a stroke. He was sent to hospital again. Rick spent 7 months in rehab. His wife has been very supportive since his stroke. But today’s medical care leaves a lot to be desired. Listen to Rick telling Cam how Rick has been handling his challenges and recovery.

Stroke Association Support Network- Ghana is a Non Profit, Non-Governmental Organization Established by a small group of Ghanaians. Established in 16th March 2012 by Rev Dr. Immanuel Alpha-Christ, Ad Adams Ebenezer, and Dr. Ben S. Jabuni, its primary purpose is to advocate, inform and educate the public to prevent stroke, support caregivers and help stroke survivors. Its board of Management and a President who are all volunteers. Since its conception 5 years ago, the organization focus on nurturing grass root community support across Ghana. Its campaigns focus on raising awareness of Stroke, a growing public health issue with devastating consequences in Ghana. Listen to Dr Jabuni tell us more about his organization.

Duncan Salloway suffered a TBI just from slipping while cleaning his driveway of snow. The driveway very slick from an earlier freezing rain then snow on top. It had a slope to it so standing was almost impossible. So Duncan was shoveling away and his feet all of a sudden were not where they were supposed to be and he landed on his head. He shook it off and finished his job and went for dinner. 5 years later it was noticed he could not walk in a straight line and he was shuffling my feet a lot. Duncan was also experiencing all kinds of pains . Then he took an MRI and found that he had Hydrocephalus or water on the brain. Duncan initially thought after the surgery, he would be ok. All that happened in 2008 when he was 48, rasing a family in a nice small town. It was told to him that it would be best if Ihe retired and his symptoms were getting worse. Duncan had plans to fly to a wedding in Vegas. He was then told that he needed to retire and NOT FLY. Should he take that flight, he might risk his life due to the change in air pressure. After that, Duncan took many brain surgeries which saved his life but left him with many challenges. The last was 2 and a half years ago. Duncan is slowly adjusting to his new life and deal with constant headaches. Listen to Duncan sharing his story with our host Cam.

Stroke changed Amy Edmunds' life. Amy changed how stroke is viewed around the world. As a cryptogenic stroke survivor since 2002, Amy Edmunds established YoungStroke, Inc. as an outcome of her graduate studies in 2005 to benefit other survivors and their caregivers. As an NIH-funded researcher, Amy evangelizes the unmet needs of young adult stroke survivors on such global platforms as the World Stroke Congress and the International Stroke Conference. She serves as the first American stroke survivor elected by international peers to the Board of Directors of the World Stroke Organization. Last year, she launched Young Stroke Editorials as a quarterly publication to ignite discourse about stroke support organizations helping young adults who experience a stroke.

The 9th Annual Stroke Awareness Picnic sponsored by Orange County Stroke Rehab Network is coming on May 5th at UC Irvine Medical School Campus. We had the unique opportunity to interview Dr Steven Cramer, co-founder of the Orange County Stroke Rehab Network. This year the theme is Living Well After Stroke. Listen to Dr Cramer and the progress his network is achieving.

A father of five, and a former basketball player, on December 23, 2014, Lee suffered from his first stroke. He woke up incoherent and unable to speak. Lee had no idea what was happening. He willed himself to his feet and called out to his wife to no avail. It was only until Lee was halfway down the stairs that his wife saw him. He will never forget the fear and horror that he saw in her eyes. His wife quickly called 911 and he was transported to the hospital. Lee experienced two more strokes by Christmas morning and by the New Years my journey began. The progress for the former college basketball player has been slow, painful, confusing, filled with self-doubt and denial at times. These obstacles have placed Lee in a position to help other "stroke warriors" who are trying to cope with life after a stroke(s). Today, he counter stroke with LIFE, LOVE and HOPE! Lee discovered the key to rehabilitation is to live life pass its limitations, love people pass their limitations, and have faith pass your limitations. Lee is now a successful motivational speaker. He started his organization Counter Stroke. This is how Lee leads his people to answer the challenge of stroke.

Kate Elizabeth is a stroke survivor and Habilitation professional who had a stroke at 10 years old, resulting in left-side paralysis. She continues to pursue her desire for personal independence and to find unique ways to achieve two-handed tasks with one hand. Kate is an author and speaker with a message of hope, and a way out of suffering, for stroke survivors and disadvantaged people. Now 40, Kate has achieved acceptance and is a real stroke survivor. At the same time reigniting her road to recovery. Kate is a mother to 3 children, 4 yr old twin boys and 5 yr old girl. She is an independent traveller, movie goer, regular attendee at kids parties and currently lives in Newcastle. Last year Kate decided it was imperative to share her knowledge of living one handed to help the millions of stroke survivors and people living with limited arm movement out there. She felt it was her experience and unique knowledge that could heal many lives around the world. Kate published her book Beyond Stroke: Living Independently with One Arm with the grave awareness that many stroke survivors do not achieve dignity, freedom and independence. Since June 2016 the book has been an international success in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, America and the U.K. It has been her message of hope and easy to use tools throughout the one of a kind book that is commanding positive feedback and changing lives all over the world.

November 13, 2013 was a day like any other day, sunny and cool. After eating the usual oatmeal breakfast, Ron Hawk went to his wife's office and sat down on couch while she worked. He hadn't been feeling well, and tried to get up after a few minutes. He fell forward on a large exercise ball that was blocking his way. He got up again, and stumbled to his office. His wife was concerned and followed him. He tried to focus in and couldn't see her. When he said, "Oh, there you are!" She became concerned and called 911. He was having a stroke. He made his way out of his office and stumbled as if drunk. While his wife was on the phone with 911, she tried to get him to answer a few simple questions, but he was only babbling. He laid down on the bed and would not get up. He said he just wanted to sleep, and his wife and two EMT's could not get him up. They had to call for Sheriff's deputies to come assist them. There were 3 deputies and 2 EMT's surrounding his bed when he finally rose from the bed and walked out of the room and onto the stretcher. He laid down, they strapped him in, and took him to the local hospital where he stayed for five hours before he was airlifted to Shands in Gainesville. From the time he went to the hospital until he was transferred to the helicopter, the weather steadiy grew worse. The nurse was not sure they'd be able to lift off. Once they did, he was hospitalized in the neurology ward for 7 days, and then another 7 days in rehab before he was able to finally come home. Listen to Ron and his wife Penelope telling their stories. An extraordinary detour.

Stroke Association Of Kenya was established in the year 2015 because of the need to tackle stroke which is becoming more common around the world. Its founder Evans was a pharmacist before his stroke. What happened to him not only changed his life but also the stroke care in his country. Determined to turn his personal experience into something that can benefit many others, he created the organization aimed at raising awareness and offers lessons on preventive and rehabilitation measures. Evans and his team have been able to do this successfully for the past three years overcoming many constraints. Stroke Association Of Kenya is a non profit organization and is entirely led by survivors, It is a platform for survivors speak in one voice. Since its birth, the organization has moved swiftly to make a change. Survivors want their voice heard. They want to lead a meaningful life after stroke. Providing help has been the mission of the Stroke Association of Kenya. Listen to Evans introducing his organization to Cam. This episode was brought to you by the World Stroke Organization.

Gillian's was a physiotherapist and exercise instructor. She is now working as a ‘ ‘science translator’ in the University of Newcastle’s Stroke Recovery Research Group, at Hunter Medical Research Institute (Newcastle, Australia). Gillian’s main work is identifying people with stroke in the local community willing to take part in research studies and signing them up. She loves her job. She enjoys getting to stay in touch with local people who have had strokes and linking them with researchers who are working hard to solve their problems. Those questions about getting back into life after a stroke! She manages the group’s social media accounts - search for strokebrainprc [say “stroke brain P R C”] on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and moonlights as a research assistant and university teacher. The rest of the time she’s busy riding bikes, mucking about with her kids and trying to figure out how to make our city an easier place to live regardless of your health or disability.

Ellie is aged 22 and suffered a stroke in August 2016, Ellie had gone in for surgery to hopefully stop her seizures but unfortunately the surgeon clamped blood vessels as he went into the brain and cut off the blood supply. When Ellie awoke from the surgery she was paralysed down her left side. Ellie spent 3 months in rehab and worked every day to ensure she didn't come home in a wheelchair. She has physio twice a week and acupuncture once a week, and is working so hard to get back to her old self and enjoy life. She is working hard so one day she will use her left arm and hand again!

Dan Ridge is a retired entrepreneur and stroke survivor. In 2008, he founded the CATO Services, a business to handle recruiting. Since 2007, he has been the Consultant and Chief Star Gazer (Visionary) for a talent acquisition and retention consulting firm that helps clients identify the state of their hiring and retention process and helps them move from where they are now to where they want to be and helps them achieve some level of improvement in their process. 3 years ago, Dan suffered a stroke. Unlike other survivors, his speech and mobility has been left intact. Stroke did damage to his vision. At the beginning, Dan had no one to compare to. But after knowing more and more survivors, he realized how lucky he was. He also developed a deep appreciation of how strong survivors are. “They are in wheel chairs. They have lost their speech. But they keep trying. Some get something back in 10 years. They still want to do things.” Dan wants to set up a business to recruit 4-5 stroke survivors and teach them how to do recruiting. Listen to Dan who shares his idea with Dan

Our guest this week is Sarah Belson who has over 20 years’ experience working in international development, supporting local organisations to set up, deliver community activities and engage in advocacy. She has worked with the World Stroke Organization (WSO) for nearly 3 years and loves her job; she finds working on stroke awareness and support globally a much more equalising way to engage in international development. Stroke knows no borders, it is a global problem, not restricted to one area of the globe, and we therefore need to address this globally in collaboration and partnership with others.

In 2010, when Debra was a professor at Stanford, she suffered a severe stroke. she lost all movement of her right arm and leg; even worse, Debra lost all ability to communicate. While Debra won her struggle to survive, much of her identity – as a Stanford professor, a speaker and writer, an athlete, a mother and a wife – was taken from her. Debra’s mind was working but she was trapped inside a broken body, unable to do what she used to do. And maybe even worse, Debra couldn't tell anyone what she was experiencing. ​​ With hard work and a lot of help Debra regained enough mobility to again be independent, and have recovered some ability to speak. But she has come to accept that she will never again have all the capabilities she once had. ​​ Seven years later, Debra is still slowly recovering more of her abilities and is continuing to rebuild her identities. She has found few resources to help with the emotional piece of this journey, and has heard the same from many of her fellow survivors. That is why she is writing Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves after Stroke. As a professor, Debra studied and taught about how small, everyday actions can disrupt what’s normal, chip away at the status quo, and create positive change. That work led her to write Tempered Radicals, first published in 2001. ​Now, in a very different context, she lives by the message she previously taught. With small, deliberate efforts, and a lot of conscious choices, Debra continues her slow recovery, discovers more about herself, and shapes her new identities.

Years ago, Anne was working as a medical scheduler for the Oregon Health & Science University. She learned how hard it is for stroke survivors. Once discharged, the support is weak. Most survivors leave hospitals in a wheelchair. She wanted to do something to change. Anne quit her job. With the support of her husband, started forming the Backstrokes Support Group. A group that uses community music to help survivors recover. She found a professional musician to help. Today, Backstrokes has really grown to include 3 groups. They are reported by major local and national TV stations. In 2017, Anne and her team won the RAISE Award by the National Stroke Association. Listen to Anne and her group tell you their remarkable and fun journey.

In 2003, when Manny Gigante was 29, he suffered a stroke. He was playing paintball as a referee and suddenly felt weak. Manny tried to drive a stickshift car back home 10 miles away from where he was playing. He had no idea how he made it home. By the time he opened the door, Manny lost the strength in his leg and collapsed. Manny’s wife rushed him to the Emergency Room. Before the stroke, he was a network engineer and technology consultant in the Silicon Valley. He worked so hard that his working hours sometimes exceed 23 hours a day. After stroke, Manny spent 2 years in a wheelchair. In 2005, Manny lost his son due to an accident. Although he was supported by his wife and three other kids, Manny found it hard to adjust to this sequence of tragedy. He disconnected himself from his old friends and even family members. Manny sank into deep depression. However, he later realized there were so many things to be grateful for. Instead of playing sports with his kids, he could coach them to be better human beings. Local support groups turned out to be very helpful. Many years later, Manny has totally reinvented himself. He entered real estate business. Now he is working as a social network specialist for a number of startups in Silicon Valley. Manny is devoting a lot of time to help the local stroke community. Manny’s daughter who is 18, wants to become an Occupational Therapist because of her dad’s experience. Let Manny share his story with Cam. Connect with Manny on Twitter: @MannyGigante

On Nov 16, 2016 Susan Grimstead suffered a severe stroke. She did not feel well that day, and went upstairs after dinner to rest before she noticed something seriously wrong. She was rushed to hospital in ambulance. Since then her life has completely changed. Before stroke, Susan was always on the go. A lot of her time was spent with her 90 year old dad and my family. She would see them 4 out of 5 days a week. She never stayed at home during the day and spent most of her time out and about, specifically bargain shopping. The stroke left Susan with aphasia and numbness on the right. She learned how to drive with left foot pushing accelerator. She has been fighting to keep her on speech therapy. Susan has found it really hard to get information to help survivors recover. Susan’s family did a lot of research after her stroke and found a program in Chicago that was specific for Aphasia patients. The program is offered by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. In April 2017, she went to the program, which helped her more than anything thus far with her speech. Susan was in therapy 8am-5pm five days a week for a month. The program hooked her up with many in the same boat. It also gave her a reason to keep going and try harder. Susan wants people in my area that have Aphasia to have a program like she did in Chicago. Her goal is to have more resources for adults with Aphasia especially for the Wilmington, NC area. Listen to her story. As Susan said it, never give up. Keep going!