As a June ‘93 baby, born and bred Northerner in my current hometown of Leeds, I now have no choice but to begrudglingly accept my 20s are long gone. That also means I’m a stroke survivor of almost 14 years. I had a Central Venous Sinus Thrombosis in December 2010 at the age of 17 which was caused by the contraceptive pill and I have been (invisibly) disabled ever since.

I now live with permanent scarring on the right side of my brain that has resulted in the loss of sensation on the left hand side of my body from head to toe, a difficult chronic pain condition named Central Pain Syndrome, long-term fatigue and psychological damage which I doubt will ever leave me (but that’s ok!)

I like to describe myself as a 31 year old teenage girl. Having my stroke so young means I lost the chance to explore the whimsicality of youth so now I’m making up for it the best I can - though unfortunately, fun now comes with a price in the form of chronic pain and everlasting fatigue!

Stroke aside, I love to write, go out brunching, attend as many concerts as humanly possible, explore the world (but also be a human blanket at home), take pictures of everything, and try and dress a lot cooler than I actually am.

The Stroke Sisterhood has been several years in the making. What started as passing thought loaded with both hesitancy and determination, came a solid ambition brought to life; not for the sake of excluding other demographics but to give women a sense of belonging - to be heard, seen and believed.

My craving to create a welcoming community filled with meaningful connections which would help not only my overwhelming sense of loneliness but other women who have been let down, ignored and misjudged by the same hierarchy of authorities mostly came about from my own point of view but it increased astronomically after telling my story to the world.

It’s led me to many women of a similar age to me with even similar circumstances; a pattern I’ve noticed time and time again, with rhetoric almost identical to my own, and something eventually struck a chord - I don’t want it to be a one-woman band anymore. I must build a place where people can feel part of something, have the freedom to express themselves, talk to others in a safe environment with other sympathetic, understanding and like-minded women who’ve shared a similar experience, and most of all, be reminded they’re not alone.

We may have never met before but we’re all bound together by one thing we have in common, and I thought to myself “wouldn’t it be great to make friends and alliances because of that?” The answer in my head was a resounding yes, and voila, here we are.

The Stroke Sisterhood is an exclusive, inclusive and   disability-friendly   community of young women and girls who have been affected by stroke - whether that’s as a survivor, a carer, or an associate (friend/family/partner) of someone who has had a stroke. We provide a designated virtual safe space to hang out, share our vulnerabilities, openly talk about our experiences and make a difference; both to other people’s lives and for the sake of the frustratingly lacking awareness on the outside of our circle!

Whoever you are, whatever your story, wherever you’re located…

(because in the words of Reese Witherspoon)

We see you. We are you. We promise to be here for you.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

Amongst stroke survivors and their carers there is often a tendency to mask who we are and how we feel. The Stroke Sisterhood want to provide the momentum for you to change that; to feel safe and comfortable enough to form a rapport with those who   get it.

CONNECTION

Not everyone has someone they can have a heart-to-heart with without fear of judgement. We promise to dismantle that stigma and encourage discussion no matter what’s on your mind, even if it’s just desire for a general natter.

CONSOLATION

We know dealing with the after effects of stroke are difficult to navigate which is why you will be met with compassion and moral support with whatever personal experience you choose to share.

CELEBRATION

We’re not a pity party and we champion nothing but positivity in celebrating you and your uniqueness as a group of inspiring women. As often as we can we will get together both in the flesh and via a screen to raise a glass to helping find that silver lining after stroke.