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Research

We want to support the next generation of stroke research leaders to continue to improve stroke care and the lives of people affected by stroke in the years to come. We’re proud to introduce you to four researchers at the beginning of their careers who have recently been awarded Stroke Association research fellowships.

Dr Lauren Hepworth, University of Liverpool

Dr Lauren Hepworth smiling at the camera

I developed an interest in stroke care after I qualified as an orthoptist in 2007, and my research during my Masters degree and PhD focused on vision problems after stroke.

My research is testing a new questionnaire that measures the impact of stroke-related vision problems on stroke survivors’ quality of life. In future this questionnaire could be used in clinical appointments to support conversations between healthcare professionals and stroke survivors about treatment options, the impact vision problems have on everyday life and adaptation.

Dr Faye Wray, University of Leeds

I’m working with stroke survivors with aphasia and their families to design and test a programme of support (a ‘self-management’ intervention) to help them to develop strategies to cope with aphasia in everyday situations. 

Many stroke survivors with aphasia feel abandoned and lack confidence after they’re discharged from hospital. I hope that this programme will help them and their families to adjust to and manage their lives after stroke.

Miriam Golding-Day, University of Nottingham

My research explores how the availability and use of orthotics, like braces and splints, can affect stroke survivors’ rehabilitation and whether changes to this could improve outcomes. 

I’m an orthotist and have seen how a lack of access to orthotics can impact a stroke survivor’s recovery. I want all stroke survivors to receive the most effective care and support. I hope my work will highlight the benefits of seeing an orthotist earlier after stroke.

Helen Morse, University of East Anglia

Helen Morse smiling at the camera

Spatial neglect, where a person becomes unaware of objects or people on one side of their body, is a devastating condition that affects around one-third of people after stroke. My research will investigate whether a new computer-based assessment and treatment for spatial neglect can be used by stroke survivors in their homes. 

I hope that this treatment will help future stroke survivors with spatial neglect make the best recovery they can, and increase their confidence and independence.

Find out more about these projects and other research we’re funding. 

This article was originally published in Stroke News.