Suzanne is 47 years old and lives in Scarborough with her husband. She has three children and five grandchildren. She worked as a counselor until she had her stroke in October 2020.
'I was sat on the toilet and I felt my leg go numb,' Suzanne remembers. 'I soon realised one side of my body was numb, including my eye and I felt really tired. I didn't want to go to the hospital because of Coronavirus, so I took an aspirin and went to bed'.
Suzanne went to the doctor on Monday, who sent her straight to the hospital.
'I felt frightened. They kept me in a side room to test me for Covid, and no visitors were allowed which made the experience really isolating and lonely.'
When Suzanne was discharged from the hospital, she felt very fatigued and was unsure if she'd be able to get back to work.
A couple of days after going home, Suzanne received a call from Katie, a Stroke Association Connector.
'Katie was lovely and really reassuring. She made me feel like I wasn't on my own and what I was experiencing as a result of my stroke was normal,' Suzanne told us.
'She's been there when no one else has been around and comforted me. She sent me lots of information about where I can get support, and signposted me to an online stroke support tool called My Stroke Guide.
"Reading other people's stories and seeing that they felt the same as me really helped. It made me feel less alone.'
As she continues to rebuild her life, Suzanne has reflected on the help she's received.
'She gave me that extra level of support I really needed after leaving the hospital. I think everyone should be able to benefit from Stroke Association Connect.'
Find out more about how you can refer your patients to Stroke Association Connect. You can also download and print Suzanne's case study.